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The End is Near: A Look Forward at May 2019

Hello, readers! Apologies for being a bit late in posting to my blog. Following the publication of my “vlog” installment (see previous post), I had two extremely busy weeks, including, most notably, enrolling in four courses for Fall 2019. Following several hours of thought, I decided that, in addition to pursuing a psychology major, I will attempt to complete a sociology major, as well as a German minor. I actually spent quite a bit of time mapping out my future courses and how I can meet the requirements of each major/minor. Although pursuing three separate tracks of study will certainly be challenging, I find these fields quite fascinating, and definitely believe that I am capable of managing the coursework necessary in each of these courses of study.

In addition to this development, it is worth mentioning the awesome Easter break I had! Following my last class on Wednesday, my dad (having driven to campus) and I took off for TD Garden in Boston, MA once again. This time, we watched our beloved Celtics in Game 2 of their first-round sweep of the Indiana Pacers. This marked our first time attending an NBA playoff game, and the atmosphere was electric. I’ve already promised myself that I will save up enough money this summer to catch some weekend games next season.

Easter back home in Rochester, NY was relaxing, as expected. My nineteenth birthday was actually on Holy Thursday, and although I had to spend much of the day traveling, the time I spent with family and friends back home made it more than worth it. As I drove out of Rochester on Monday, I simply could not believe that it was the last time I would be leaving my hometown for college during my freshman year. I have mentioned this in previous blog posts, but freshman year has absolutely flown by. To think that I will be home for good in just nineteen days seems absolutely crazy. That said, there is still business to be taken care of! Here is my list (in no particular order) of the top five things I still have to look forward to in the next three weeks:

1.  My 5v5 intramural basketball team, the Kimballers, has its first playoff game  tomorrow night! We are 2-1 on the season, but Thursday night’s matchup promises to be a very challenging contest, seeing as we will be facing off against a number of Club Basketball players. I have served as the captain of this team, and I must say that I am proud of how the team has played over the past few weeks. Now let’s get this win!

2. The housing selection process for next year is coming up in a couple of weeks. I’ve already registered with my roommate for next year, so now we are just waiting to be able to select our room for next year! My new roommate lives in Rochester as well, so that should make buying things for next year even easier. Naturally, however, all of my friends and I are maneuvering to try to live near each other next year, so fingers crossed!

3. For my Fundamentals of Music course, I am currently completing a song analysis of “Rainbow Connection” from The Muppet Movie (1979). This project, which is part of my final exam, has offered me a unique opportunity to apply everything I have learned all semester in this course to a song of my own choice. The project includes analysis of melody, harmony, rhythm, meter, lyrics, chord progression, key changes, etc. I’ve found my work on this song to be a difficult, yet rewarding experience. I will admit, however, that I am becoming increasingly tired of this particular song, seeing as I have now listened to it in its entirety dozens of times.

4. Speaking of music, the Holy Cross Spring Concert is fast approaching! This year’s concert, sponsored by Campus Activities Board (CAB), will be headlined by Loud Luxury, as well as Jay Sean. Although I am not particularly familiar with either artist, I still think that the concert will be an awesome time, especially seeing as it will be the last “true” weekend of the year. I’ve already purchased my ticket, so now all I can do is wait!

5. Lastly, these last three weeks will simply be a great opportunity to spend time with the friends I have made this year. It seems impossible that most of us will have to go over three months without seeing each other. Such is college, however, seeing as students come from all over the U.S., or even beyond. That said, these last few weeks are going to be a blast, and I’ll definitely savor every moment.

Hopefully this post wasn’t too lengthy! I definitely had a lot to share, and was glad I finally found a bit of spare time to be able to do so. To all students, best of luck during these last few weeks of classes! Stay tuned for updates on how the aforementioned events unfold, as well as some concluding remarks on my amazing freshman year at Holy Cross. Peace!
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Second Semester Enrollment: Tips and Advice

Hello everyone! Thanksgiving is nearly upon us here at Holy Cross, which means a few different things:

1)  Snowball fight season has arrived! Worcester received quite a snowstorm on Thursday evening, and I’ll admit that I had to dodge a fair share of snowballs from my friends while walking to my dorm that night. I’d be willing to bet that our next snowfall is sure to instigate round two.

2) Most students have left or are leaving for Thanksgiving break within the next couple of days. I love the Hill, but even I could use just a few days at home to rest!

3) Last week was freshman enrollment, meaning that most of our class schedules for next semester are now complete.

Enrolling in courses for the next semester can be a fun, but stressful time. Unlike high school courses, college classes last only one semester, rather than an entire academic year. Though this allows for a great deal of academic flexibility, it also requires more thorough planning on the part of the student. Here are a few tips I have for prospective students when it comes to enrolling

  • It is not that likely that you will receive all of your first choices in enrolling, especially as freshman. Don’t fret! There will often be plenty of opportunities to enroll in such courses, whether they are courses you intend to take for your major, or you are simply interested in trying something new.
  • Some students become obsessively worried about network speeds, etc. during enrollment. Though it is true that internet speed can certainly become slower with hundreds of students trying to enroll at once, I generally find the WiFi at Holy Cross to be quite reliable. Unless you own a particularly slow computer, there is probably no need to camp out in the library overnight. (I enrolled on my laptop from the comfort of my own bed, and only missed out on one of my first choices—a course that I can easily take next semester if I so choose.)
  • Try to “double-dip” when it comes to choosing courses. In addition to the requirements of a particular major, Holy Cross students must complete courses that are part of the common requirement. For example, some courses within the Psychology department may count as a Natural Science credit. (Note, however, that no more than two courses from a single academic department may be counted toward fulfillment of the common requirements.)

Next semester, in addition to my Montserrat seminar and German class, I will be taking a Philosophy course, as well as an introductory level Music class. I’ve enjoyed my classes this semester tremendously, and it’ll be somewhat strange to be finished with them in a few more weeks. Such is college, however! Be sure to check back soon for more updates from the Hill as we rapidly approach finals week!