In general, there are really only two possibilities for someone who is attending community college: either you want to begin work but also need or want an associate's degree, or you are using community college in some form or another as a launching pad into a four-year school and beyond. Unfortunately, I have no insight into the options or the mindset of the first group, as my intention has always been to continue on to a four-year school. However, from my previous four-year experience, I have a few tips I can offer to help prepare students for life in such a competitive environment.
For students who actually enjoy being in school and learning as much as possible, university life should be extremely fulfilling. One of the coolest things about bigger schools is the specialization of classes. For example, as a history major, there are certain areas of history which appeal to me more than others. Let's say that I was very interested in American hstory. At most community colleges, I would be able to take two courses covering the two halves of American history that are split by the Civil War, and possibly one or two more general courses, such as CCC's American West course. At the four-year level, the course offerings become much more specialized and specific. One SUNY school I looked up is offering those basic American history courses. but also classes such as Religion in U.S. History and America in the 1960's. Because of the greater number of faculty, schools can offer classes that help students become even more prepared for their future.
It is fun to look ahead and prepare for graduation and moving on to bigger and better things. But while you're here at CCC, always be conscious of laying the groundwork for moving on. If you don't take the basics here, you can't step up to the next level after graduation. This is a great school and a fantastic place to prepare for launch into the bigger world.
-Ryan
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Jackals vs. Dachshunds by Kate
The admissions office student workers took a field trip to Vincenzo’s Pizzeria and the Jackals’ Game last Friday night. The night was full of laughs and entertainment on all sorts of levels. The purpose was to bring together the admission’s student workers team for the first time this semester. I didn’t get to meet the whole team but I did get to meet some new faces.The food was scrumptious; we managed to devour two large pizzas. If you’ve ever been to Vincenzo’s you’ve noticed it’s not necessarily a place to fit a party of 11 comfortably. It was interesting to watch people attempting to scoot by our table (which was located in the center of chaos). Some with a genuine, “Excuse me.” Others saying, “Excuse me,” but by their tone and facial expression really meaning, “Get out of my way!”
After food, we walked over to the First Arena, got to our seats and the game began! I’m not a sports fanatic. I rarely watch anything having to do with sports. I do enjoy going to a random game every now and then for the social experience and the fact I can yell as loud as I want without becoming a deviant.
The music was enjoyable to sing to, but they managed to cut off from songs right when you’re about to get into them. I think they do that because they can tell the crowd is getting into it and would prefer not to turn it into a karaoke arena. Let’s focus on the game, people!
The highlight of my night, aside from the singing, the ONE fight in the game and goofing around with my fellow ambassadors, was the first time ever Wiener Race! This consisted of bringing out a bundle of Dachshunds, each assigned to a section, letting them loose on the ice to run towards their owners on the other side of the rink. Nice concept, but unfortunately an epic fail!When released the Dachshunds just ran circles and played with the other dogs. If the point was to merely entertain the crowd, it served its purpose. Who doesn’t enjoy watching puppies excited and confused?
Eventually they managed to get first, second and third place winners by incorporating tennis balls. Cheating? I’m sure they’ll tweak the game rules if they decide to continue with this event. Apparently the first place puppy was assigned to a section and that section won a prize. They never announced the prize and I’m still extremely curious.
By the way, Jackals lost.
-Kate-
Friday, March 26, 2010
Registering by Ryan
Usually when I sit down to blog, the first thing I try to do is think of a good name for the post. Whether it's funny or not, I enjoy the challenge of coming up with a title that grabs people's attention right from the start. I say all that because I am completely stumped with this post. When I am writing about things like basketball or intramurals, I have no problem, but for some reason important things give me trouble.
Either way, registration time is here, and it is vitally important to be responsible and get it done. I delayed registering for only a few days, and I still saw many classes that were full or near-full. I got lucky because not many students like history, so most of the classes I wanted had plenty of seats available. But any students in the popular fields like nursing, business, or education really need to get moving, as those classes fill up very quickly. In my experience, advisors are very helpful and work well with each other to help students get into the classes they need.
If you haven't been in touch with your advisor to set up your schedule for the fall, it would be wise to move quickly. I passed through the 3rd floor of the nursing building this morning and nearly every advising sheet on the office doors had quite a few people on them. If there is a class that you need or just want to take badly, it is crucial to register quickly before the class fills up completely. It's definitely worth the peace of mind knowing that your classes are taken care of.
- Ryan
Either way, registration time is here, and it is vitally important to be responsible and get it done. I delayed registering for only a few days, and I still saw many classes that were full or near-full. I got lucky because not many students like history, so most of the classes I wanted had plenty of seats available. But any students in the popular fields like nursing, business, or education really need to get moving, as those classes fill up very quickly. In my experience, advisors are very helpful and work well with each other to help students get into the classes they need.
If you haven't been in touch with your advisor to set up your schedule for the fall, it would be wise to move quickly. I passed through the 3rd floor of the nursing building this morning and nearly every advising sheet on the office doors had quite a few people on them. If there is a class that you need or just want to take badly, it is crucial to register quickly before the class fills up completely. It's definitely worth the peace of mind knowing that your classes are taken care of.
- Ryan
Music is a Word-less Story by Jenn
Yesterday I got to catch half an hour of some of the most beautiful live music I've ever heard before! I don't remember their names, but one of them played the Cello and the other played, I believe some kind of spanish guitar. I'm not good with stringed instraments! However, I do know that it was definately some if not the most beautiful music I've ever heard... they really complimented each other. And one of the most important things I've learned as a musician is that if you don't feel the music, your audience won't. You know what I mean by "feel" like really get into it-- like when you treat music like a word-less story. Wow, that's a pretty deep way to describe music... I'm impressed with myself...a word-less story...I'm going to use that as my title! Usually I have corny titles so a deep one should be a nice change... um, but, their music was definately expressing emotion. It was all mexican/spanish style. Oh, the Spanish really knew how to play the guitar! And a lot of it was soft and sorrowful. Like the kind of music you would like to cry to. I love music writen in minor keys-- ok, music 101: music writen in major keys sound happy (well, usually they do. I'm generalizing so don't get angry at me music people who know more than I do!) and minor keys sound like the kind of backround music you get in a movie when the girl walks in the pooring rain to cry at the place she met the boy who broke her heart.
Sticking with the musical theme, we are learning a song writen in GERMAN in voice class...hahaha....I've never taken a language and most kids there can't speak German so if you need a comic relief, come down to the basement of the R building from 12 to 1 and listen to us butcher this language.
Before I leave you for the weekend (which I hope everyone has a great one!) I must ask what is up with this snow and cold weather?! we are officially in Spring time and the weather men had better start doing their job right!
Sticking with the musical theme, we are learning a song writen in GERMAN in voice class...hahaha....I've never taken a language and most kids there can't speak German so if you need a comic relief, come down to the basement of the R building from 12 to 1 and listen to us butcher this language.
Before I leave you for the weekend (which I hope everyone has a great one!) I must ask what is up with this snow and cold weather?! we are officially in Spring time and the weather men had better start doing their job right!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
The Tournament Marches On by Ryan
This years NCAA Tournament has been unbelievable! After only two rounds it has been one of the most memorable tournaments I can remember. It's always great to be on a college campus during March Madness. Inevitably, after the first one or two rounds of play, many college students seem to suddenly realize that they are the same age as the athletes competing. It's fun to then see the new respect they have for the athletes and the renewed enjoyment they get for the games.
As I've walked around campus, I've heard many students discussing the games. With Syracuse being a #1 seed this year, I've seen many lines drawn between Syracuse supporters and those who can't stand SU. One of my friends filled out a bracket and had Syracuse losing in the first round, just because he "couldn't stand hearing any more Syracuse fans." It might not have been the most popular strategy, but with all the upsets this year his bracket is probably doing decently well.
When it comes to the upsets, they have been plentiful and fantastic. In the first round, quite a few minor upsets happened, and a couple of major upsets were threatened that polarized the country. Teams like #10 Georgia Tech, #11 Washington, and #10 St. Mary's beat favored teams, but it was teams like #12 Cornell, #13 Ohio, and #13 Murray St. that at times brought me to my feet at home cheering. The two most exciting games were near-upsets filled with great basketball: #1 Kansas vs #16 Lehigh and #2 Villanova vs #15 Robert Morris. Both potential upsets, if they had happened, would have made for the undisputed most exciting first round in tournament history. In the second round, the great play continued, as #4 Wisconsin fell to #12 Cornell, #3 New Mexico lost to #11 Washington, and #10 St. Mary's became a media darling by knocking off #2 Villanova. The greatest upset of all ,though, shook up the brackets of millions of people. #1 Kansas, the top ranked team in the entire tournament, fell to lowly #9 Northern Iowa. Everyone I know was stunned at the news. Syracuse fans like myself were thrilled, because Syracuse would have potentially had to play Kansas in the Final Four, and the road to the championship became much easier.
Tonight begins the first games of the sweet sixteen. Everyone is waiting for more upsets, as so many double-digit seeds are still in the running. Look for great action some great games to discuss next week!
-Ryan
As I've walked around campus, I've heard many students discussing the games. With Syracuse being a #1 seed this year, I've seen many lines drawn between Syracuse supporters and those who can't stand SU. One of my friends filled out a bracket and had Syracuse losing in the first round, just because he "couldn't stand hearing any more Syracuse fans." It might not have been the most popular strategy, but with all the upsets this year his bracket is probably doing decently well.
When it comes to the upsets, they have been plentiful and fantastic. In the first round, quite a few minor upsets happened, and a couple of major upsets were threatened that polarized the country. Teams like #10 Georgia Tech, #11 Washington, and #10 St. Mary's beat favored teams, but it was teams like #12 Cornell, #13 Ohio, and #13 Murray St. that at times brought me to my feet at home cheering. The two most exciting games were near-upsets filled with great basketball: #1 Kansas vs #16 Lehigh and #2 Villanova vs #15 Robert Morris. Both potential upsets, if they had happened, would have made for the undisputed most exciting first round in tournament history. In the second round, the great play continued, as #4 Wisconsin fell to #12 Cornell, #3 New Mexico lost to #11 Washington, and #10 St. Mary's became a media darling by knocking off #2 Villanova. The greatest upset of all ,though, shook up the brackets of millions of people. #1 Kansas, the top ranked team in the entire tournament, fell to lowly #9 Northern Iowa. Everyone I know was stunned at the news. Syracuse fans like myself were thrilled, because Syracuse would have potentially had to play Kansas in the Final Four, and the road to the championship became much easier.
Tonight begins the first games of the sweet sixteen. Everyone is waiting for more upsets, as so many double-digit seeds are still in the running. Look for great action some great games to discuss next week!
-Ryan
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Representin' by Kate
Good evening fellow and prospective students! I'm Kate Schiller, a new ambassador at Corning Community College. I will be stopping in occassionaly to share my experiences about working as a student ambassador at CCC.
Well,..... background information about myself seems to fit in right here. This is my last semester at CCC. I began my education as an Early Childhood Major. I have been involved with American Sign Language before I attended here so something that always appealed to me is the ASL courses offered at CCC.
As I continued with my basic studies, (Early Childhood courses and ASL courses) I figured out that I love ASL more than working in an educational environment. I have switched my major to General Studies, and plan to transfer out to a four year school to major in ASL Interpretting.
While I am sad this is my last semester here on campus, I am excited to become a student ambassador to further my work experience and be more involved on campus. This position, (as I explained in my interview process,) is something I've been doing before being hired. I am representing this school.
Think about it, as students we get asked all the time by friends, family and even aquiantances (who you'd rather not be telling your life goals to) what has been going on with our education process. "Are you doing well with school?", "What classes are you taking this semester?", "What do you plan to do after graduating?"
Initially, we're all representing this school anytime we get asked these types of questions. To obtain this position has merely been an opportunity to better hone my communications skills and represent the school on a more professional level.
So far I have worked with the other Student Ambassadors in organizing stock rooms, making phone calls, inputting applications into the processing system, as well as shadowing on two tours. I hope to do more tours as well as phone calls. I'm more of a people person than a stock room or filing person! From what I'm told, this semester is slower than the fall. I would anticipate it getting busier as the end of the semester gets closer. Highschool students should be getting ready to come in the fall. One can hope.
I've been able to participate in Student Leadership Seminar on Networking (Yum, free lunch!). This is where I met a lot of other student leaders on campus. It's amazing how you can spend two years on campus and never really get involved or realize how much is going on outside of your personal classes. I thought I knew what happened on campus. It was a real eye-opener that I haven't even scratched the surface. I encourage you, GET INVOLVED!
Representing this school and working with this team has been the most fun job I have had so far, a lot better than my previous experiences of working in retail or fast food (no offense to all of you who are holding a position in those areas). I look forward to the rest of my last semester as a team member of CCC Student Ambassadors!
- Kate -
Well,..... background information about myself seems to fit in right here. This is my last semester at CCC. I began my education as an Early Childhood Major. I have been involved with American Sign Language before I attended here so something that always appealed to me is the ASL courses offered at CCC.
As I continued with my basic studies, (Early Childhood courses and ASL courses) I figured out that I love ASL more than working in an educational environment. I have switched my major to General Studies, and plan to transfer out to a four year school to major in ASL Interpretting.
While I am sad this is my last semester here on campus, I am excited to become a student ambassador to further my work experience and be more involved on campus. This position, (as I explained in my interview process,) is something I've been doing before being hired. I am representing this school.
Think about it, as students we get asked all the time by friends, family and even aquiantances (who you'd rather not be telling your life goals to) what has been going on with our education process. "Are you doing well with school?", "What classes are you taking this semester?", "What do you plan to do after graduating?"
Initially, we're all representing this school anytime we get asked these types of questions. To obtain this position has merely been an opportunity to better hone my communications skills and represent the school on a more professional level.
So far I have worked with the other Student Ambassadors in organizing stock rooms, making phone calls, inputting applications into the processing system, as well as shadowing on two tours. I hope to do more tours as well as phone calls. I'm more of a people person than a stock room or filing person! From what I'm told, this semester is slower than the fall. I would anticipate it getting busier as the end of the semester gets closer. Highschool students should be getting ready to come in the fall. One can hope.
I've been able to participate in Student Leadership Seminar on Networking (Yum, free lunch!). This is where I met a lot of other student leaders on campus. It's amazing how you can spend two years on campus and never really get involved or realize how much is going on outside of your personal classes. I thought I knew what happened on campus. It was a real eye-opener that I haven't even scratched the surface. I encourage you, GET INVOLVED!
Representing this school and working with this team has been the most fun job I have had so far, a lot better than my previous experiences of working in retail or fast food (no offense to all of you who are holding a position in those areas). I look forward to the rest of my last semester as a team member of CCC Student Ambassadors!
- Kate -
Playing Favorites by Ryan
I think that if every college student were honest, they would agree that regardless of the professor or other students, there are some classes that they just like more than others. There always seems to be a class in which the material is more interesting, the homework not as bad, and the tests easy. Good professors and student participation help a great deal, but there are always subjects that people personally find more interesting than others. Whatever classes they may be, often they pose a big problem when it comes to studying.
The best example I can give happened at my previous college last year. One of my best friends in school lived in the dorm room two doors down from me. He was incredibly smart, and I've had headaches while listening to him discuss differential equations as if it were 2+2=4. His grades were very good, even though the school is notoriously tough academically (my doctor attended the school and said it was harder than med school). He got a 3.7 in his first semester and was near the top of our freshman class at the end of the year. However, for the entire first semester, I noticed that one of his books was always lying on the top of his bookshelf, untouched. It was his only non-math/science book, and toward the end of the semester I picked it up to ask him why I never saw it moved. After the semester, he got an "A" in every other class, but received a low grade in the one class he didn't prepare for. He could have had a 4.0, but a personal subject preference kept him from the highest possible G.P.A.
I encourage everyone who reads this to study hard for ALL of their classes. I love history, and it is hard to study for my other subjects like I should. For me, it's so much easier to read a book in a subject I love than to read anything in a subject I don’t like as much. If you are having problems in a class, talk to your professor about the best way to study and prep for tests. There are plenty of academic support services for student success as well. Such as the Academic Study Center (Library), Math Learning Center (Science Building), Science Learning Center (Science Building), Writing Learning Center (Classroom Building) and the Advising and Counseling Center (Commons Building) just to name a few.
-Ryan
The best example I can give happened at my previous college last year. One of my best friends in school lived in the dorm room two doors down from me. He was incredibly smart, and I've had headaches while listening to him discuss differential equations as if it were 2+2=4. His grades were very good, even though the school is notoriously tough academically (my doctor attended the school and said it was harder than med school). He got a 3.7 in his first semester and was near the top of our freshman class at the end of the year. However, for the entire first semester, I noticed that one of his books was always lying on the top of his bookshelf, untouched. It was his only non-math/science book, and toward the end of the semester I picked it up to ask him why I never saw it moved. After the semester, he got an "A" in every other class, but received a low grade in the one class he didn't prepare for. He could have had a 4.0, but a personal subject preference kept him from the highest possible G.P.A.
I encourage everyone who reads this to study hard for ALL of their classes. I love history, and it is hard to study for my other subjects like I should. For me, it's so much easier to read a book in a subject I love than to read anything in a subject I don’t like as much. If you are having problems in a class, talk to your professor about the best way to study and prep for tests. There are plenty of academic support services for student success as well. Such as the Academic Study Center (Library), Math Learning Center (Science Building), Science Learning Center (Science Building), Writing Learning Center (Classroom Building) and the Advising and Counseling Center (Commons Building) just to name a few.
-Ryan
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
On Fog and Foggy Ideas by Jenn
Recently I've been noticing how I'm almost always feeling run down. College can be stressful, and on top of that I have a part time job in the evening. Most people I know at CCC are working part time as well (there are few students I know who work full time!). The spring weather helped rejuvenate me, but recently I've been looking at my diet to see if I can change it to more, um, "awake" food :) This week I'm trying a mainly fruit diet. Reason being I love fruit and it makes me think of spring and summer which makes me think wide-awake energy! I'll let you know if it helps me pay attention in class...
Though Saturday was the first day of Spring I'm just not really convinced of the warm weather's commitment to stay...ya, this rain I guess is spring-y but...
I work here at the college for the spring "Phone-a-thon" and it was crazy last night! Not so much the calling part--(although that's always interesting)- but the weather was creepy! At, like, 6 o'clock it started fogging up a bit and then each hour it just got thicker and thicker until we could barely see the Classroom building from the top floor of the Nursing building! In fact we couldn't even see parts of the Commons that's how crazy this was! Driving home was a blast but once I got to 1st street the fog was pretty much cleared. Three of us girls walked together arm in arm to our cars that's how creepy this was! And on top of that someone during the evening was telling us about this horror movie that takes place in some foggy area...! Well, it looks like we still have a little bit of the fog for today, but it's not half as thick as it was last night ...besides things are just a lot scarier in the dark!
Though Saturday was the first day of Spring I'm just not really convinced of the warm weather's commitment to stay...ya, this rain I guess is spring-y but...
I work here at the college for the spring "Phone-a-thon" and it was crazy last night! Not so much the calling part--(although that's always interesting)- but the weather was creepy! At, like, 6 o'clock it started fogging up a bit and then each hour it just got thicker and thicker until we could barely see the Classroom building from the top floor of the Nursing building! In fact we couldn't even see parts of the Commons that's how crazy this was! Driving home was a blast but once I got to 1st street the fog was pretty much cleared. Three of us girls walked together arm in arm to our cars that's how creepy this was! And on top of that someone during the evening was telling us about this horror movie that takes place in some foggy area...! Well, it looks like we still have a little bit of the fog for today, but it's not half as thick as it was last night ...besides things are just a lot scarier in the dark!
Friday, March 19, 2010
Do Re Me Fa So La Te Do! by Jenn
Yesterday was a blast! Got to school around 9am and from then on it was music music music music till 1:30ish. I've performed quite a few times before so I'm learning to shake off the nerves and just have fun, but I have to admit I was pretty nervous for a lot of the morning...like I had Music Theory class before we began preparing for the concert and let me tell you its hard to pay attention when you are randomly remembering "Oh! I have a concert today!" and "Oh! I need to figure out the ending of the song I'm soloing!" haha, but it's all good, once I tied up the loose ends I just enjoyed practicing. The concert kicked off with a Irish ballad sung by the guys called "Salley Gardens" then we girls came in and sung a funny ballad called "I'd Wed If I Were Not Too Young" which is about a girl who goes to a fair and meets her sweetheart but keeps telling him that she can't marry him cause she's too young but at the end she declares "I'd wed for I was not too young!" The first half of the program was Irish stuff in honor of St. Patty's day. We had a couple beautiful guitar and violin Irish solos and duets as well as some Irish tap/step dancing. Then came the popular/modern music. As a choir we sang a couple songs from musicals.
Then my heart started beating a million beats per minute cause I had my solo-- haha, just kidding! I was a little nervous though! I sang and played piano to the Colbie Calliat song "You Got Me". I think it went just fine...not as good as I wanted but that doesn't really matter! Then I hopped over to the piano for our band to play a few songs and ended on a jamming "25 or 6 to 4" by...I want to say Chicago? But yes, it was a wonderful concert. I really enjoy the first half of the semester for choir cause it's our modern music, now we're going to move to more classical operatic stuff-- which is not as fun but good cause I need to learn it!!Thursday, March 18, 2010
Mad Marchness by Ryan
Ahh, it's one of my favorite times of the year! The NCAA Tournament is under-way, and it looks like there might be a huge upset brewing! At the time of this post, 15th seeded Robert Morris is beating 2nd seeded Villanova. If Robert Morris is able to keep their lead and pull off the upset, it will be only the 5th time a 15 seed has beaten a 2. It would mess up my bracket along with a million other brackets, but I feel like an upset this big would be better than any benefit in a bracket.
The NCAA viewing event was a lot of fun! It's always enjoyable to see a sports event with a bunch of friends your age. There was pizza, chips, fruit, and soda for everyone who attended. When people arrived, they were given 5 tickets to put into raffles for various sports items that were raffled off throughout the event. There were team hats, mini-basketballs, and CCC basketball shoulder bags. It was a lot of fun and I think everyone really enjoyed it.
Speaking of basketball, intramural competition starts this Tuesday. I've heard a lot of people say they want to play this semester. Deb Prutsman, the intramural director, tries hard to even up the teams and does a great job. It should be great, and I hope many people take advantage of it. See you there!
-Ryan
The NCAA viewing event was a lot of fun! It's always enjoyable to see a sports event with a bunch of friends your age. There was pizza, chips, fruit, and soda for everyone who attended. When people arrived, they were given 5 tickets to put into raffles for various sports items that were raffled off throughout the event. There were team hats, mini-basketballs, and CCC basketball shoulder bags. It was a lot of fun and I think everyone really enjoyed it.
Speaking of basketball, intramural competition starts this Tuesday. I've heard a lot of people say they want to play this semester. Deb Prutsman, the intramural director, tries hard to even up the teams and does a great job. It should be great, and I hope many people take advantage of it. See you there!
-Ryan
Bracket Insanity by Ryan
The NCAA tournament always seems to bring out the outgoing side of everyone. I have known people that say two sentences all day, but when it's tournament time they suddenly have flawless logic about which 12 seed will upset a 5 this year. I've really never seen anything like it. I would say that not even the Superbowl brings this level of awareness to an event. Many people don't care about the Superbowl, yet during March Madness it's common to see a huge variety of people all watching the same games.
So what is the secret to the tournament's success? I think that the biggest reason is probably the availability of games. Whenever you have time, you can turn on the t.v. and there is a good chance that a game is being played. There is a huge number of games, and that always lends itself to having more people watch. I think it also has to do with the sport.
Another big reason for the NCAA popularity is the players. These student athletes truly deserve our respect for doing work both in the classroom and on the court. They play because they love the game. It is easy to root for these players. With the number of games, nearly every year there are several buzzer beaters and close games, and they captivate the country and pull more and more people into the group of interested viewers. I can't wait to see how this years tournament shapes up. Hopefully, my Syracuse Orange will finally win their first championship since the Carmelo Anthony year. I hope to see you in the triangle lounge this afternoon for the viewing party!
-Ryan
So what is the secret to the tournament's success? I think that the biggest reason is probably the availability of games. Whenever you have time, you can turn on the t.v. and there is a good chance that a game is being played. There is a huge number of games, and that always lends itself to having more people watch. I think it also has to do with the sport.
Another big reason for the NCAA popularity is the players. These student athletes truly deserve our respect for doing work both in the classroom and on the court. They play because they love the game. It is easy to root for these players. With the number of games, nearly every year there are several buzzer beaters and close games, and they captivate the country and pull more and more people into the group of interested viewers. I can't wait to see how this years tournament shapes up. Hopefully, my Syracuse Orange will finally win their first championship since the Carmelo Anthony year. I hope to see you in the triangle lounge this afternoon for the viewing party!
-Ryan
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
A blow to the head and to the pride by Ryan
Yesterday, the March Madness 3-on-3 intramural tournament continued, and it was awesome! I really didn't think I could have more fun on Tuesday than I had on the first day but I was proven very wrong. A few teams had already lost twice on the first day, and a few more lost their first game today and dropped out. Most of these people stayed to watch and offered cheers and goodnatured insults to the players still in. It made for a very polished playground feel to the games, which I enjoyed very much.
My team went into the day with one loss, meaning every game was "win or go home." In our first game we played a team that on average was probably 3-4" taller than each one of us, but our team has played together since high school, and our teamwork carried us to a win by 3. It was exciting as we weren't sure how much of a chance we had. I nearly came away from that game with a bad injury though. On a drive to the basket, I was going up to shoot when I received an accidental elbow to the side of my head. I was instantly dizzy and fuzzy for a few seconds, and I was initially worried that I had a concussion. I had one two years ago, and my head felt like it did on that hit. The dizzyness went away quickly and I was able to hide it and keep playing, but I had a bad headache for the rest of the day.
In our second game we played a team that was the complete opposite of our first opponent. They were mostly small, quick, and deadly shooters. We also ran into a huge cold streak shooting, and it proved to be our undoing. We fell behind 14-10 and had to score five straight points or be out of the tournament. We made two quick layups and I hit a 3-pointer to tie it at 14. But our starting point guard from this year pulled up on a jumper from the foul line that I've never seen him miss, and I knew it was over. We lost, but the tournament was a ton of fun to play in. There are three teams left and they will play for the championship next week.
In upcoming news, the real March Madness starts tomorrow! Everyone should come to the triangle lounge after noon. The first round games will be shown on the big screen, and I have heard food rumors from several people. It should be a great day, and I know I will have all my brackets with me all day. I hope to see everyone there!
-Ryan
My team went into the day with one loss, meaning every game was "win or go home." In our first game we played a team that on average was probably 3-4" taller than each one of us, but our team has played together since high school, and our teamwork carried us to a win by 3. It was exciting as we weren't sure how much of a chance we had. I nearly came away from that game with a bad injury though. On a drive to the basket, I was going up to shoot when I received an accidental elbow to the side of my head. I was instantly dizzy and fuzzy for a few seconds, and I was initially worried that I had a concussion. I had one two years ago, and my head felt like it did on that hit. The dizzyness went away quickly and I was able to hide it and keep playing, but I had a bad headache for the rest of the day.
In our second game we played a team that was the complete opposite of our first opponent. They were mostly small, quick, and deadly shooters. We also ran into a huge cold streak shooting, and it proved to be our undoing. We fell behind 14-10 and had to score five straight points or be out of the tournament. We made two quick layups and I hit a 3-pointer to tie it at 14. But our starting point guard from this year pulled up on a jumper from the foul line that I've never seen him miss, and I knew it was over. We lost, but the tournament was a ton of fun to play in. There are three teams left and they will play for the championship next week.
In upcoming news, the real March Madness starts tomorrow! Everyone should come to the triangle lounge after noon. The first round games will be shown on the big screen, and I have heard food rumors from several people. It should be a great day, and I know I will have all my brackets with me all day. I hope to see everyone there!
-Ryan
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Crunch Time by Jenn
The big concert is this Thursday! And we're starting to really feel it in both the Voice and Instrumental Ensemble. We're polishing up songs, memorizing the program, and hoping there's no train wrecks! I'm pretty excited cause although it's nice to just enjoy playing a song, it's a totally different thing to perform. I know some people don't like performing in front of an audience, but I personally do better with an audience cause you have that surge of adrenalin that usually helps you perform the song (hopefully) better than you have before. Haha, honestly, I love concerts cause it's show-off time!
So if you're interested in coming out the details are: room R004 (the lower level of the administration building), Thursday March 19th from 12:30-1:30ish. And if you can't come for the whole time, don't worry about interrupting anything because many people have to come late or leave early with classes and such. However, if you have to cut one end short, I'd say come late and stay for the ending because I believe they serve refreshments afterward :)
On the same musical note (hehehe-- pun intended!) .... I had Music Theory class today and it made me laugh!! Our teacher brought in a box of homemade drums...we had a saw that you could bend and hit with a stick, some pots and pans, I got a cookie container and a drum stick...and we formed our own "Stomp" band! It was pretty cool! It actually didn't sound that bad...
So if you're interested in coming out the details are: room R004 (the lower level of the administration building), Thursday March 19th from 12:30-1:30ish. And if you can't come for the whole time, don't worry about interrupting anything because many people have to come late or leave early with classes and such. However, if you have to cut one end short, I'd say come late and stay for the ending because I believe they serve refreshments afterward :)
On the same musical note (hehehe-- pun intended!) .... I had Music Theory class today and it made me laugh!! Our teacher brought in a box of homemade drums...we had a saw that you could bend and hit with a stick, some pots and pans, I got a cookie container and a drum stick...and we formed our own "Stomp" band! It was pretty cool! It actually didn't sound that bad...
Friday, March 12, 2010
Hot Chocolate Warms My Heart! by Jenn
Well, may I highly suggest the hot chocolate in the cafeteria!! On a cold rainy day, it, as my 9 year old brother would say, "warmed my heart". Chocolate is a great last push to the finish line! Yesterday was, as my mom would say (gosh I feel like we have a lot of sayings in my house...haha), a "sparkling" day!! It was great to get out of classes and not have to wear a coat! It was even better to drive with the windows open. AND it was the best thing ever to go ice skating without a coat on! Yes, I went ice skating in a tee shirt!! To be honest, I'm not that big a fan of ice skating cause I hate the cold but, planning afternoon outdoor fun is the best thing to look forward to... especially after a day of indoor classes! I hope everyone got to soak up as much sun as they could yesterday...get some good Vitamin...ah, C is it? Wow, that's sad!
Haha, well, I'm sorry but I think my last post jinxed us! Today is gloomy. However, try thinking of it as "March showers bring April flowers". Ah, there's something about Friday that makes even rain a happy thing! If break week has one downside to it, it's that it seems to make the first week back a very long one. However, I don't really care right now cause we made it! Hope everyone either has a wonderfully relaxing weekend or an exciting one planned!
Haha, well, I'm sorry but I think my last post jinxed us! Today is gloomy. However, try thinking of it as "March showers bring April flowers". Ah, there's something about Friday that makes even rain a happy thing! If break week has one downside to it, it's that it seems to make the first week back a very long one. However, I don't really care right now cause we made it! Hope everyone either has a wonderfully relaxing weekend or an exciting one planned!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
March Madness by Ryan
I was so excited this morning I could barely wait until lunch. Basketball intramurals started today, and I felt like a little kid at Christmas. Since the season ended, I haven't been able to play basketball much, so the prospect of playing again was great. Playing with my teammates and friends only makes it better. This three on three tournament is part of the intramural March Madness event. It began with the foul shooting and three point shooting contest on Tuesday and continues until Tuesday next week. After the event is over, regular basketball intramurals will keep going for a few weeks.
The first round of three on three was a ton of fun today. The tournament is double elimination, but thankfully most teams are there to have fun. If people wanted, they could load up their teams and it could be brutal and fast, but that hapens enough in regular intramural games. This tournament is a great chance to hang out and play some hoops with friends.
In the first round, my team unfortunately was matched up against possibly the strongest team in the tournament. They were in it for the victory, and they were too much for us. It was fun though, and we tried hard. The unfortunate thing is that we were out of the tournament if we lost again. We fell into the loser's bracket and were able to win our next two games to stay alive. The tournament will wrap up on Monday, and I hope my team is able to stay in it for a couple more rounds at least. Come on down to the gym and root on the teams. There's a good chance that someone you know is playing. Have a great weekend and be ready for pi day on Monday!
-Ryan
The first round of three on three was a ton of fun today. The tournament is double elimination, but thankfully most teams are there to have fun. If people wanted, they could load up their teams and it could be brutal and fast, but that hapens enough in regular intramural games. This tournament is a great chance to hang out and play some hoops with friends.
In the first round, my team unfortunately was matched up against possibly the strongest team in the tournament. They were in it for the victory, and they were too much for us. It was fun though, and we tried hard. The unfortunate thing is that we were out of the tournament if we lost again. We fell into the loser's bracket and were able to win our next two games to stay alive. The tournament will wrap up on Monday, and I hope my team is able to stay in it for a couple more rounds at least. Come on down to the gym and root on the teams. There's a good chance that someone you know is playing. Have a great weekend and be ready for pi day on Monday!
-Ryan
Winter Blues turn to Summer Pinks...by Jenn
I declared last Friday the first day of Spring...but apparently the dude who got the season timing job wanted to have a little Spring weather in Winter...I always wonder what kind of degree you need to get cool jobs like that... But wow, spring boosts my happiness level by a 100!!! I got to go down after my morning classes to walk 1st street and eat lunch with a friend... there's so much more you can do with warmer weather!
And with the fresh start feeling that warmer weather gives--at least to me!-- comes the later starting classes! I started volleyball class this Monday and yesterday we actually dove into playing. I haven't played in forever however I can get pretty competitive so my friends in the class thought it was hilarious how I was so intense about how we had to win when I was pretty much a wreck trying to learn how to serve and bump all over again! I haven't really played since my freshman year in high school so... we're going on 4 years but thankfully a lot of the other kids are out of practice or have never practiced! On top of that we get to listen to awesome music so...I'm excited!!
Hope everyone's enjoying this beautiful day!! I'm thinking I'm going to study outside...maybe get a tan... :)
And with the fresh start feeling that warmer weather gives--at least to me!-- comes the later starting classes! I started volleyball class this Monday and yesterday we actually dove into playing. I haven't played in forever however I can get pretty competitive so my friends in the class thought it was hilarious how I was so intense about how we had to win when I was pretty much a wreck trying to learn how to serve and bump all over again! I haven't really played since my freshman year in high school so... we're going on 4 years but thankfully a lot of the other kids are out of practice or have never practiced! On top of that we get to listen to awesome music so...I'm excited!!
Hope everyone's enjoying this beautiful day!! I'm thinking I'm going to study outside...maybe get a tan... :)
π=3/15/10 by Ryan
In a feat of mathematical genius, I spent many long hours working out the math equation in the title of this post. Actually, that's a complete lie. The post title is referring to the campus annual Pi Day, which is this upcoming Monday. The Pi Day would usually be held on March 14 (3.14), but this year the 14th is on a Sunday. Therefore, the event is being held the following day on the 15th, which has been dubbed "pi + 0.01 day" (pi + 0.01 = 3.15).What is Pi Day? Well to be honest, I wasn't 100% sure, so I spoke with the professor in charge to find out. This year is the first time I have ever heard of it, but I love the idea. I like math a lot, which is all my mom's fault. She majored in math in college and now teaches here at CCC. She gave me the love of math, so the idea behind celebrating pi for a day sounds awesome to me. The festivities will take place in the CCC Math Learning Centers in both Corning (S113) and Elmira (U111).
My math professor Jay Hurlburt is in charge of the day, and she has promised some fun stuff. The event starts at 1:59 p.m, which is a great idea (the first three digits of pi after 3.14 are 159). Food and drinks will be provided. Also, in MyCCC, students can find a link to a pi sudoku and a pi crossword that can be printed, filled out, and turned in for candy in the math learning center, where the event is taking place. I can't wait to try the pi sudoku, which is very unique: it's a 12x12 grid with oddly shaped sections. Each section must have the usual numbers 1-9, but must also have three pi symbols written in as well. I love sudoku and do one almost every day, so I'm really looking forward to the challenge and hope many others are as well.The Pi Day is open to everyone, whether you are enrolled in a math class or not. Those who are enrolled in a math course, should check with their professors. Several are giving out extra credit for either attendance, or for submitting things such as the sudoku or the crossword. I'm really looking forward to this day. It should be a lot of fun for anyone who has an interest in math. I hope to see you there!
-Ryan
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
It's Begining to Look a Lot Like Springtime by Jenn
Hello again! Hope everyone had a fantastic break week....I love it when you come back from break feeling refreshed! I had a moment of sadness Sunday night when I realized my break was over, but kicking Monday morning off with a 100 on a Math quiz has helped me feel like it's time to hit the books again! I loved just kicking back over break but I feel pretty pumped about getting back into school. Break weeks are funny like that, sometimes I come off a break week feeling all ready to get back into a schedule but other break weeks are just too short and you feel like you've just started relaxing when Monday morning rolls around. If that's you, maybe this spring weather will help rejuvenate you! I hear we're going to lose it with a snowstorm later this week, but I'm trying to ignore that. I'm not a winter person, so not having to cringe when leaving the house at 8, needing to pull down my visor cause of the sun, the smell of spring, all of it together makes me a lot more energetic!!
Well, I hope no one came to the Febuary 25th concert cause it was cancelled. That was pretty sweet to have two snow days before break week....kinda made it a week and a half of break. But I'm so very much excited about next Thursday's concert (the 18th). This concert is actually the students of CCC performing. We had auditions for solo spots yesterday and I'm so so so excited cause I got one! I'll post the time and room details as we get closer to it, but I think you'll enjoy it if you come.
Anyways, enjoy this geogeous weather while it's here!!!
Well, I hope no one came to the Febuary 25th concert cause it was cancelled. That was pretty sweet to have two snow days before break week....kinda made it a week and a half of break. But I'm so very much excited about next Thursday's concert (the 18th). This concert is actually the students of CCC performing. We had auditions for solo spots yesterday and I'm so so so excited cause I got one! I'll post the time and room details as we get closer to it, but I think you'll enjoy it if you come.
Anyways, enjoy this geogeous weather while it's here!!!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Nice Weather!? by Ryan
Wow, it's beautiful outside! What a great week to return from break! Most of the snow had melted on the hill, the sun is shining, and I've started wearing my sunglasses and rolling down my window already. All I want now is a class or two held outside. Forget the groundhog; outside classes are the true test to see if spring has come. Last year, I had a professor who was so excited for spring that he shoveled a clear spot on some steps the day before class so we could sit outside the next day.
The end of break week also ushers in one of my favorite school times: basketball intramurals! It started today with a free throw and three-point shooting contest. The free throw shooting contest was surprisingly the most intense part of the day. Both contests were divided up into mens and womens brackets and each person was given a minute to make as many free throws as possible. Seven or eight guys made it to the final round, with about two thirds being basketball team members. It looked like one team member was the strong favorite, but I was skeptical. My best friend wasn't on the team but is one of the best streak shooters I have ever seen. By that time, I had finished too low to win, so I was hoping he would catch fire, and did he ever! In one minute he made 26 free throws! It was unbelievable. The ball went in the basket every two seconds. It was great to see everyone's jaw drop as he kept making more and more baskets.
The three point contest was a lot of fun too. Shooters were given two shots each from five different spots on the floor. There were some good shooters, and people in the mens division had to make half of their shots just to advance to the second round. It was impressive considering the three point line for college men was moved back a full foot just a few years ago. In the end, the championship came down to two members of the CCC men's basketball team. The entire event was a lot of fun, with food and drinks provided.
Thursday begins the 3-on-3 competition, which is shaping up to be awesome. Everyone should come out for the games and cheer on the teams. The competition should be great and it will be a good chance to see some fun basketball.
-Ryan
The end of break week also ushers in one of my favorite school times: basketball intramurals! It started today with a free throw and three-point shooting contest. The free throw shooting contest was surprisingly the most intense part of the day. Both contests were divided up into mens and womens brackets and each person was given a minute to make as many free throws as possible. Seven or eight guys made it to the final round, with about two thirds being basketball team members. It looked like one team member was the strong favorite, but I was skeptical. My best friend wasn't on the team but is one of the best streak shooters I have ever seen. By that time, I had finished too low to win, so I was hoping he would catch fire, and did he ever! In one minute he made 26 free throws! It was unbelievable. The ball went in the basket every two seconds. It was great to see everyone's jaw drop as he kept making more and more baskets.
The three point contest was a lot of fun too. Shooters were given two shots each from five different spots on the floor. There were some good shooters, and people in the mens division had to make half of their shots just to advance to the second round. It was impressive considering the three point line for college men was moved back a full foot just a few years ago. In the end, the championship came down to two members of the CCC men's basketball team. The entire event was a lot of fun, with food and drinks provided.
Thursday begins the 3-on-3 competition, which is shaping up to be awesome. Everyone should come out for the games and cheer on the teams. The competition should be great and it will be a good chance to see some fun basketball.
-Ryan
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)