Category: Arena

The weirdest part about being halfway through my first semester of college is that I am still seventeen years old. “You are all adults now,” they exclaim. “I am not an adult,” I insolently replied (in my mind). I’ll have to discover a new rebuttal, as my childhood will be over in nine days from when I am writing this. I’m a seventeen-year-old, but I was a different seventeen-year-old when I arrived at Geneseo on August 22, 2023. I no longer sleep in an opulent queen-sized bed, now my feet dangle off my minuscule twin XL. I used to lavishly lounge in my bathtub with a cup of tea and a portable speaker sounding Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No.2; I imagined I was an early 20th-century Russian tsar soothing away the arctic chill. Now, I wear flip-flops when I cleanse in a shower with only two settings: scalding hot and unsatisfactory lukewarm. They’ll even spontaneously switch between them just to shake things up a bit! That’s not going to hack it to soothe Geneseo’s arctic chill, and nobody is living like royalty up here.

Whether productive or not, the most prominent sensations have originated through the desire to be comfortable again. What even is “comfortable?” Is waiting until the last day to get that problem set done comfortable? Is avoiding FOMO by going out two nights in a row comfortable? Is skipping breakfast to secure an extra thirty minutes of beauty sleep comfortable? All these scenarios are comfortable… until they aren’t. One either is forced to cram their schoolwork in, sleep in, and skip lectures because they feel a little too good in their bed, or they finish it before their party and have a stress-free evening. More times than not, I’ve been person number one, but one thing about Scorpios is that no matter how tough the going gets, we’ll work tirelessly to handle our business in the least efficient ways manageable. I was never a straight-A student, but unless Brightspace is lying to me, I can call myself one for the first time. The college system is truly working better for me, for now. My teachers rambled on about how, eventually, my bad habits will “catch up to me.” Clearly, I just run fast, so I guess that doctrine never applied to me. At the end of the day, if you want to be a straight-A student, don’t do what I do.

My INTD105 section is going abnormally well. I say “abnormally” because I’ve never enjoyed English, but I have enjoyed theatre. It’s infinitely easier to connect to works discussing the effects of theatre on the individual for me, a stage performer with nine years of work in the field. I’ve enjoyed The Theatre of War by Bryan Doerries, which delineates his work with his theatre company, Theater of War, in presenting readings of classical Greek tragedy to a range of military organizations followed by town-hall style discussions which according to Doerries’ website, “confront social issues by drawing out raw and personal reactions to themes highlights in the plays… “ (“Theater of War – About”). The most important part of my creative process as a performer is always connecting the work to my life. As Richard Taruskin- an American musicologist and prominent music historian (yes, this is just an excuse to plug my Music History class), puts it in his essay, “The Authenticity Movement Can Become a Positivistic Purgatory, Literalistic and Dehumanizing,” regarding the authenticity of modern performances of historical musical works, authenticity is not saying what you mean but “knowing what you mean and acting in accordance with one’s knowledge…” (Taruskin). After reading Doerries’ work, Greek tragedy became so much more than an out-of-touch, mundane snoozefest. It now demands my attention to not just know what happened, but to discuss why it happened and what it means to me. The sophomoric question, “Why should I care?” is now asked sincerely.

For the end of the semester, I hope for things that everybody else hopes. I hope to learn to manage my work comfortably, so I don’t end up having a grade-sinking revelation this semester. I hope to learn to consistently perform the habits I’m struggling with whilst awarding myself grace for inevitable setbacks. Above all, I hope to continue to bond with the lovely folks I’ve met through classes and clubs- especially my a cappella group, “The Southside Boys.” I mean it when I say these guys are my family. If you are reading this and have thought about singing, audition for an a cappella group (maybe even SSB!). It has been the most worthwhile and meaningful experience during my time here. Whatever you like to do, I hope you are finding your corner of the sky. In the first half of the semester, I found the perfect plot of land. All that’s left to do is slowly start to build.

Officially, 1/16th of the way through my college career, I am looking for a way to slow down time. We all know the older you get, the faster time goes. With how quickly high school flew by, I can’t help but realize this part of my life will breeze by before I know it. All I can do about it is try my best to enjoy everything, Because I know looking back, I will realize how great it was.

Last weekend was our fall break. I made the six hour drive back to my hometown. Seeing my family, friends, and dog was awesome, but I realized how much I love being at school. After being home for just a few days, I was itching to come back up here and hang out with all the new friends I have made. My favorite part about being home was consistently eating good food. The average food here really makes you appreciate a nice home-cooked meal or a Hot slice of New York Pizza.

Recently, we wrapped up our fall season for lacrosse. I enjoyed playing with my new teammates, but unfortunately, I was forced to sit on the sideline the last few practices due to a nagging Lower Back injury. I am no stranger to injury as I have broken seven bones and suffered a bad knee injury. This injury has been my number one stressor since I arrived because, as a freshman, First impressions mean a lot, and not having the ability to Play at 100% is frustrating to say the least.

In terms of classes, surprisingly, my workload has been pretty consistent. Fortunately for me, my schoolwork is rather cyclic, and I have done a good job at getting everything done on time. Midterms were quite stressful but spread out over about 2 weeks, so I was able to study for pretty much all of them. I am not happy with my score in microeconomics, so this class will be one of my main focuses heading into the second half of the semester.

This is one of my more enjoyable classes so far. It’s a great mix-up as a finance major and the material is interesting. We have had some deep discussions in class and I really appreciate how Professor Arena treats us like adults and shares things with us that aren’t easy to talk about. It’s not every day that you get to talk to a veteran, and I am very grateful I have been able to learn so much from her. The stories about 9/11 and the wild journey overseas were super engaging to me and I’m sure I could listen to plenty more stories all day long.

Playing lacrosse here was truly a great decision. I love the sport but I believe it’s not what you’re doing; it’s who you’re with. I could be playing cricket (nothing against cricket) with this group of guys and I would still be loving it. I can truly say we all have each other’s backs, which goes so far on and off the field. Every great team I’ve been on has had unbreakable bonds and that’s what builds champions. This is related to class because a lot of what we talk about is war. There are situations in the readings where they’re going through hell but still cracking jokes and lightening the mood. It is human nature to want to be happy and there is always a way.

I was nervous coming in about rooming with a kid I had never met before who lived six hours away from me. Only a few months in, he is already a lifelong friend. We share many of the same interests and hobbies and both benefit from our relationship. Being with someone in an abundance of time like this will always cause conflict, but we have gotten along great for the most part.

My goal for the end of semester is to end with a GPA in the mid-threes. I have a heavy class load as I am taking 17 credits, so I feel like I can go up from here with a lighter schedule next semester. I have been in the athletic trainer’s room 5 days a week to do everything I can to get my back healthy for the spring.

I am currently halfway through my first semester at SUNY Geneseo and it has been filled with a balanced combination of relishes, stresses, and uncertainties that fluctuate from day to day. I am still figuring out how to manage my time between class, homework, basketball practice, cleaning the dorm, laundry, and sleep. I have found my biggest struggle so far is not getting enough sleep. Unfortunately, this is nobody’s fault but my own and is something I am working on. My roommate and I wake up at five fifty-five every morning for practice, which is something I am not accustomed to. After that, we have a team lift for an hour, which I find productive, but this also makes it hard to function throughout the day if I acquire three to four hours of sleep the night before.

Practicing has also been challenging and grueling, which has a direct effect on my body. I have begun to take recovery very seriously through heat and cold therapy, stretching, and prioritizing a healthy diet. I have also joined a yoga club on campus, to balance out the tough days of practice. I joined it with the mindset of physical recovery, but I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of priority they put on mental health and focusing on the mind. I didn’t realize the benefits of meditation and mindful breath. In fact, if you were to ask me about it before I joined the club, I would’ve said it was a myth. I can assure you it is legit and there are an abundant amount of advantages to my newly found practices. I have learned that mental health is not discussed for men as much as it should be, and it is even less acted on. I want to make it a point to make sure my mind is healthy during these chaotic next four years.

Classes are going similar to how I expected. Every professor is different in how they teach their class, how they grade their class, and what they expect from you. In some classes, I have found success, but in others, I have struggled. I recently joined a study group with classmates for my statistics class, due to the challenging material. Office hours are scheduled during another one of my classes, so the study group is my best bet. Another class that has been challenging for me is my geology class. I’ve had great success on all of the quizzes in both lecture and lab, but I struggled on the most recent test. My professor holds meetings to go over test material, so I will definitely make a point to attend those in the near future. Discipline is the name of the game when it comes to success in a college classroom and it’s something I’m working on every day.

have found a lot of success in Writing-Therapy for Vets so far. The material has been heavy and intense, but interesting at the same time. I don’t have any family members close to me that have served in the military, so it was very eye-opening to learn about what soldiers go through overseas, the effects PTSD has on an individual, and how it affects their families and loved ones. I also feel it has been helpful to have a professor who has served in the military to teach this material because they have actually seen and experienced everything we cover in class firsthand.

By the end of the semester, I want to have earned an A in every class. This goal is definitely attainable given where I am at right now. Basketball season will have also started by then and I want to carve out a spot in the roster and consistently get minutes. Besides my two main goals, I also want to maintain and create more friendships on campus. My relationship with my teammates is very genuine and I already see myself being friends with them way down the road. I want to create a healthy sleep schedule where I am able to attain seven to eight hours of sleep at night. Lastly, I want to prioritize my mental health and attack my struggles head-on without letting them stress me out.

As I reach the halfway point in my first semester at Geneseo, I feel like I am finally settled into living here in Geneseo and I am into the groove of keeping track of all of my classes. I have branched out more and I have made some new friends besides the people who live on my floor. I have met some new friends from my running club and I have made friends with a girl who is in four out of my six classes with me. I spend most of my time with the friends that I have made through Running Club. I have gotten to know them just from having conversations with them while on runs. Several of my friends and I from the running club ran in a 5k in Rochester a couple of weeks ago. It was a lot of fun and definitely a memorable experience. After the 5k we all got brunch at a diner. Once brunch was finished we all went our separate ways except my one friend and I ended up going around to different stores in the area trying to find different props to get for our Halloween costumes. Overall, it was such a fun day and definitely a memorable experience.

My classes have been alright so far. My psychology class is easy in the sense that the professor provides what notes we have to take. He has a slideshow that we have to print up the slideshow and just fill in the blanks in our notes that are in the slideshow. I had my first exam for psych the other day. I think it went okay. I had a hard time figuring out what information I needed to study. Now that the first exam is over with, I now have an understanding of how the exams work for that class and for the future, I will do a better job of preparing for my exams. I am enjoying my dance class. I think that might just be my favorite class! I am not by any means a good dancer but I find it interesting to be learning about all of the different styles of dance. So far I have learned how to do Greek dancing, African dancing, The Charleston, and tap dancing. A lot of my friends are in this class which makes it even more fun!

My math class has been going pretty good as well. Math has never been my strongest subject in school but I have been working hard in order to understand what we are learning about and I have been doing very well on the tests so far. There still has not been much happening in my Intro to Education class because it is once a week, but so far, the professor has just been explaining how the education program works here at Geneseo. In my LLC class that has to do with volunteering, we are learning about effective altruism and taking notes on it. It doesn’t seem like we will be doing any volunteer work until towards the end of the semester.

So far, Theater: Therapy For Veterans has been going pretty well for me. Unfortunately, I have not been able to connect to the readings. I have always enjoyed writing so I really like that I get to take a writing seminar class this semester to improve my writing skills. Unfortunately, I am unable to relate some of the readings to my personal life, but I still have been enjoying them and learning more about how theater can be used as a source of therapy for veterans. I have also gained some good writing tips from some of the readings, such as They Say, I Say.

I am hoping that by the end of this semester, I will be better about having good time management especially when it comes to balancing time between when I am doing my homework and studying and spending time with my friends. Since it is my freshman year, I am aware that it is important to get out there and make friends. Almost every night, the people who live on my floor will hang out in the hallway at this table that is right next to my room and we all chit-chat. Sometimes I find myself hanging out with the people on my floor instead of getting my work done and I will end up staying up late doing my homework in order to get it in on time. I know that I should be prioritizing my work, but I am also trying to build friendships. Sometimes I feel like I should be focusing more on my schoolwork rather than my social life but I am passing all of my classes, so I feel like I am doing just fine managing my time when it comes to my social life and my schoolwork. In the beginning of the semester, I felt a lot more homesick than I do now. I think that is because I am from the Rochester area so I only live 45 minutes away from Geneseo. With that being said, my parents did not want me coming home for the first month of college and I feel like not being able to see my family for a month was very difficult. Once the first month of college was finished, it was strange because I was very happy to come home for a weekend but after a little while I had wanted to go back to Geneseo because I missed the sense of having independence and I missed being able to see my friends. Now I only really go home if I have a reason that I need to go home. For example, I went home one time because I had purchased movie tickets for a movie that they were only showing in AMC Theaters. The closest AMC Movie Theater to Geneseo is about twenty minutes from my house.

In this school year, we are approaching fall break, which has come quite fast. I have been taking trips home almost every weekend due to feeling homesick; I enjoy seeing everyone back home immensely and always dread leaving. Despite appreciating my new friends here, a trip home always feels nice at the end of my busy week. I have gotten very close with my two new friends who I have made in my suite. That’s right, I said two. In our room, there was a bee situation that caused one of the girls to move out, so now it’s just the four of us total. Overall, though, I feel closest with Emma and Ava. The bee situation was a mess and caused us to move out of our rooms for a day so they could exterminate the bees. Since then, we haven’t had any problems.

So far, my courses are going well for me. I enjoy some courses less than others, but I don’t let that interfere with my performance in any of the classes. In my classes, I have made some new friends as well. I would say that I have made at least one in all of them, besides my psychology class, due to my outside friends already being there. There have been tests in all of my classes, except for this class, INTD 105. I’ve done decently well on all of them but could still improve in some areas. Personally, in my Psychology course, I seem not to be doing so well on the tests. It’s tough because the only assignments we have are exams on multiple chapters covering tons of information. All of the information in the chapters can sometimes be very difficult to retain and know the meaning of an example since we never revisit the information in class. My biggest struggle that holds me back from achieving the best score could be the lack of studying. I rarely studied in high school, so I find it hard to adjust to studying so much in college now. Eventually, it will be second nature to me, though, and then I will be able to earn a better score in all of my classes. For example, I plan on reviewing my notes at least twice a day, each day, at least a week in advance. I hope to do better on all my upcoming exams this semester and all of the following.

This class, INTD 105, is going well for me and I appreciate the organizational aspect of it, along with the writing. I enjoy writing essays and taking notes, so this class truly allows me to do so all the time. In terms of connecting with the work, though, I do not feel as if any of it seems to resonate with me. Nevertheless, I still find all the information and readings to be deeply interesting. Additionally, I do enjoy taking part in the understanding of the feelings that Veterans face when dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, otherwise known as PTSD. On the other hand, I’m not a fan of reading out loud in front of the class, especially about rough topics like this. However, I do like that we were able to get into little groups and read that way, as that makes me feel more comfortable with reading aloud.

By the end of this semester, I expect to have a good GPA of at least 3.0. I believe this is doable for me as I take pride in my grades, which pushes me to do my best in all of my classes. As mentioned previously, I do plan on getting into the routine of studying more so that I can truly perform my best on all of the exams I take. I plan to try different methods of studying to find which truly works best for me. In the next blog, hopefully, I will have my best working method for studying down and will improve, especially in PSYCH. Overall, though, I feel like my time here is passing quickly, but I’m thankful for my friends who are right by my side through it all.

Midterms are happening in my classes as I begin to prepare for spring registration. It has been a series of trial and error figuring things out, and halfway through, it still feels like the beginning. I suppose that is a bit of high school still rubbing off on me as I try to keep reminding myself that these are semester courses, not full academic year courses. My high school did not commonly have midterms, so that is a new transition for me as well. I have settled into a little bit of a routine, visited home a few times, and made a small handful of friends. The first papers I had here at Geneseo were for my two history classes, basically simultaneously. Between the two of them and all the reading, I did not even feel like I had time to visit the library. Thankfully, both papers came back with better-than-expected grades. Regardless, I hope to get to the library for future papers, so I do not have the same formatting issues again.

Courses are going fairly well. Since the start of the year, things have settled and it is much easier to manage the workload. The reading was challenging to understand at first; I would have upwards of thirty-page reading assignments in a night. Then, the next day, I could be quizzed on a topic within the readings. At first, I was only remembering the little details that did not matter so much on their own, but I got better at grasping key concepts. I still struggle with this from time to time, but I have improved nevertheless. In the beginning I was hesitant about taking two history classes I had no say in, but I adore them. Also, the Intro to History Major course with Dr. Mapes has been beyond helpful. At first, I brushed it off, wondering why I even needed to take it. However, I have been getting opportunities to meet the department, see a sample of the library’s special collection, get advice on reading and writing that I can easily apply. In fact, I doubt I would be doing better in my other history classes’ readings without this Intro to History Major course.

Halfway through INTD105-01, a writing seminar with Prof. Arena, it has been going very well! Since we finished some of the key concepts from the seminar, we have been working on the topic, Theatre: Therapy for Veterans. Since the start, we have finished The Theatre of War by Bryan Doerries. Doerries studied Greek plays in college, and after the tragic loss of his partner to cystic fibrosis, he found a personal connection to them that helped voice how he felt. He made it his life’s mission to read his translations to people who have experienced trauma, especially to war veterans. I do not have a military family; only a few distant cousins, my great uncle and my great grandfather served. Although they served, they never talked about it. I never understood even a smidge of the struggles that veterans and their loved ones go through or that people thousands of years ago experienced such similar struggles. I was drawn to this course by the use of theatre, something I have always enjoyed for entertainment, being used as therapy for those with post traumatic stress disorder. Not only am I learning about how those with this condition cope, but it is helping me form an understanding of people I would have otherwise not been able to connect.

I have not changed stances much on where I hope to be at the end of the semester since I got here, but want to be ready to take the next step up in classes next semester. Due to the amount of credits I have coming in, I do not have a lot of gen ed left and I have previously been advised to start some second-year coursework. Keeping my GPA good is an overarching goal along with get a good foundation set up, and continuing to improve my writing. I also aim to get a better grasp of Chicago citation style, as that is what a bulk of my future essays will be using. By the end of the semester, I also hope to gain a better sense of initiative for getting any help I need. I just need to get through this semester and keep calm. Knowing me, the end will likely catch me by surprise, I will panic, and then will get anxious. I am hoping by the time this semester ends fewer things catch me off guard that are in the syllabus. However for now, I just need to keep reminding myself it will all be okay.

Hello…again. I am now mid-way through my first semester of college at SUNY Geneseo. That being said, I am delighted with my decision to come here. From a social life perspective, I’ve made many friends and acquaintances who always seem to put a smile on my face. Having that freedom to hang out with them anytime I’m free is very amusing. It’s amusing because I can basically do whatever I want with my free time. I’ve gone for bike rides, played soccer, watched movies and hung out with new friends. Hanging out with kids my age brings me joy. The basketball season started two weeks ago. I am adjusting well to the new coaches and teammates I have been presented with. Bonding with my teammates has become extremely easy because we all have similar interests. Spending a lot of time with them has made it easier to play with them. Although many view the juggling of an athlete and a student to be rigorous, I’ve rarely had any problems with it. Staying on top of work in college is extremely important. I always stick to my mother’s saying, “Once the work is done, go have fun.” I’ve kinda stuck by that motto and it has allowed me to successfully have fun while still maintaining high academic grades. The first half of the first semester has treated me well and I will continue to look forward to the rest of the semester for a place I can truly call home.

I entered the beginning of the semester as undecided. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. The first semester has allowed me to give it some good thought. My major will be going into early childhood education. That has drawn the most interest to me. The courses I am taking right now have been a good starting point for my future college education. I am taking all general education classes this semester. They have been going smoothly. I also feel like my High School academic experience set me up well for the expectations of a college course. The workload has not been too much and I have much more free time on my hands.

This course has been helping my writing abilities. Being able to closely analyze texts in class and look for deeper meanings in these texts allows for a better student to blossom. For example, while studying Greek tragedies, we looked at them from a certain perspective of not “just a story.” We opened our minds to correlations between those tragedies and ex-military veterans who struggle to live with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I personally was not able to connect with the tragedies from a sense of being in the military, but just the overall aspect of failure and loss in life leads to learning. It teaches us life lessons. Having the ability to connect to a text is important for understanding the overall aspect.

By the end of the semester, I see myself as a better reader and writer while also being a better communicator. Enhancing my reading skills by the end of the semester will be something that will elevate me in all of my courses. Becoming a better writer comes with time and practice- it doesn’t just happen overnight. So, I think this course is allowing me to broaden my writing skills. Although it was at the beginning of the semester, the They Say, I Say book helped me become a better communicator.

I am truly looking forward to the rest of the semester. My courses are going smoothly and it’s only a couple more days until basketball season is in full swing, which will take up a good amount of my time. I look to continue my success in my academics and athletics as the semester continues. Having welcoming professors along with welcoming teammates makes it easy to enjoy my time here. Geneseo is home for now and I’m enjoying it.

SUNY Geneseo has been my place of residence for a little over a month, but recently, I’ve started accidentally calling Geneseo home. Home is a place of rest, relaxation, comfort and peace. I am finally getting comfortable with my suitemates, classes, friends and schoolwork. The basketball team was a catalyst in helping me assimilate into Geneseo’s culture. My teammates soon became my friends and people to interact with. Now, I’m not only talking to the freshman but the entire team. Playing basketball has benefited both my physical health and mental health as I am spending more time with friends on the team. When I first got dropped off at Geneseo, there were many feelings of uncertainty and confusion; however, these feelings have been completely eradicated. It feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders, and writing about it has made me realize how fortunate I am to be here and how smoothly everything has been going so far.

Cruising to the halfway point of the first semester is an ideal place to reflect on the courses and school work so far. The amount of work was expected, but how time consuming the work can become, has led to a couple of stressful nights. For instance, one night I was assigned to read for three classes and procrastinated, which resulted in a nerve-racking night. However, without procrastination, all of the work is manageable. Even the two midterms that I have taken were fairly easy. Studying days prior to the exam and not procrastinating is the best way to keep up with the work.

Reading the books in my writing class has taught me valuable lessons and opened my eyes to new perspectives about Greek tragedies and war veterans. In my freshman year of High School, I studied Greek tragedies. My class was taught about all the literary devices the author used in the text to convey a particular meaning. For instance, the meaning of Odeipus was that one can’t escape fate. However in Theatre of War it says “The Secret to understanding a tragedy is to close the book and reimagine it for our own time.” This means that you shouldn’t find a meaning to the story but should embrace the tragedy and imagine it in present day problems. The narrator says this as his father had type 2 diabetes and thought that it was his fate to slowly fall prey to the disease. He would eat unhealthy foods and was too stubborn to change his lifestyle. Similarly, I had a family member who had type 2 diabetes and fell down the same path. Being able to connect to the book and realize that Greek Tragedies should be embraced and spoken about in modern day problems as a way to cope, has created a new eye opening perspective about Greek Tragedies.

Learning new perspectives and taking courses at SUNY Geneseo will hopefully improve my writing and help me grow as a person. By the end of the semester all of the work assigned to me throughout the year should be finished. After doing all this work, I expect to get good grades. However, I also expect improvement in my work ethic, time management, writing skills and other skills that I might discover from living in a new environment. These skills will not only help me academically but mentally as well. All my work will be completed on time and this will put less stress on myself and possibly make me feel more comfortable at Geneseo. Finally making Geneseo, a perfect home.

Although it’s not my first year at Geneseo, it is my first fall semester here. I transferred in Spring 2022, took a semester off in the fall and came back for Spring 2023. Getting back into the swing of things after a break is always difficult, but coming back after the long summer break was definitely a challenge. I felt like I started to get my routine down, balancing school work and having a social life, but midterms this semester definitely came as a shock. I know it’s not just me; the union and library are more packed than usual and everywhere I look, someone is sitting in front of their laptop, looking stressed and worn out, with one or two large Starbucks coffee cups planted right next to them. It’s endless amounts of homework, papers and tests. Finishing the homework that is due for the week just means it’s time to study for the test you have the next day. I know it’s only a week or two, so I just have to push through it and wait until the storm has passed.

Despite all the papers and midterms, I am enjoying all of my classes. I have finished most of my required courses for the school and mostly taking classes that relate to my major, psychology. I’ve always been interested in psychology, studying how and why people think and act the way they do, so being able to take courses that focus on different aspects of psychology has kept me interested. I’m currently taking cognitive and biological psychology class and although it can be tricky at times with all of the information we have to absorb, it’s fascinating. It even inspired me to look into certain career paths that I hadn’t considered before, like social work or art therapy. However, this semester has taught me I am not good at statistics. Math has never been my strong suit. I will never forget failing my fourth-grade math class and how devastated I felt. I would study for hours every week, terrified of failing again. College is no different. I have a good professor for statistics. I even managed to understand what we’re learning in class, but as soon as I have a test or quiz in front of me, everything I thought I knew goes out the window.

INTD 105-01 has been one of the classes this semester, I have enjoyed taking because everything we discuss and read in class is really interesting. I expected to be assigned to read a bunch of books and write papers and essays on topics they discussed. I was wrong. The journals we are assigned help pick out all the key points of the readings and analyze them, not just one or a few parts of the book. The group discussions we have are productive and entertaining. The books we have read so far keep me engaged. Reading _The Theater of War_ has reminded me of some of the classes I took in the past that I really enjoyed and I could even relate to parts. In chapter one, Bryan Doerries, the author, talked about his father’s struggle with diabetes and how, as his son, it made him feel seeing his father not do everything he could to keep himself healthy. My father also has diabetes and I related to certain parts. Fortunately, my dad does his best to make sure he is doing everything he can to keep it under control, but, of course, I still worry.

By the end of this semester, I hope to make good memories and receive good grades in all my classes, even statistics, where I struggle the most. Since I’m living with 21 other girls, whom I all consider good friends, the making good memories part shouldn’t be too hard. On the other hand, ending the semester with good grades will definitely be more challenging. The endless amounts of homework and tests make it really hard to stay motivated and not burn out. Fortunately, I see the light at the end of the tunnel, only three and a half weeks until Thanksgiving break then, eventually, the end of the semester will come around and it’s time for the long winter break.

My sophomore year has been flying by. It is hard for me to believe that it is already October. Fall is my favorite season, so I embrace it here at Geneseo. The campus has a different vibe as the leaves are falling off the trees, turning different colors, and the weather is fantastic. Going on walks through campus is relaxing and scenic. I have begun to meditate and journal to keep my mental health as good as my physical health. Focusing on this has helped me manage stress better, find clarity on issues, and better understand my emotions. It has also allowed me to practice gratitude and be mindful of my thoughts and feelings.

My first dance performance of the season was the last weekend of September, during the women’s soccer game. I was so nervous, but as soon as I got on the field, all my nerves disappeared, and I had a blast. The new babies on the team got to watch us perform and celebrate with us afterward. The only downside there is the weather. Our last performance was canceled because of the rain, and we hope that does not happen with the next one. We have more games to come this fall, which is very exciting. Fall is my favorite season, mainly because of the scenery. I love nature, and seeing all the leaves turn different colors boosts serotonin for me before winter hits. Along with fall, I look forward to the opportunities to perform and create memories with my team. I’m also looking forward to the other events that will take place, like Halloween. I will be here that Friday to dress up with my roommates and friends coming from my hometown. We will be Disney princesses, which I have not done since I was 6. I’m going home on Saturday, and my boyfriend and I will be Power Rangers. He is having a party at his house, and we will decorate it and make it look awesome. I also look forward to that because decorating is right up my alley!

There are no complaints from me about my courses so far! I have been working so hard and am now beginning to feel accomplished. The workload has started getting heavier, but it is possible with good time management for my work and expected dates. This month, I have a total of 4 exams already being prepared for, and I have taken two exams so far, with a score that I was proud of. I’m also using online resources to help me stay focused and productive. Using Quizlet to study and test my knowledge has been an enormous help. I’m scheduling time to study and take breaks to relax by using a planner, planning my days each night, and making a weekly calendar. I’m determined to make it through this month with flying colors. My mom’s friend Michelle, who works at St. John Fisher College, comes down every Tuesday to help me get a good schedule and ensure all of my classes are up to date. She checks my grades and helps me stay on track. She always offers to give me extra help when needed.

I have connected to several of the readings in this course, referring to a reading by Karen Malpede when she was comparing wars, looking back on the war and how different it is from war today. I like to keep updated on what is happening in our world; now, it is scary.  Reading about wars in the past helps us understand how wars have changed and how they will continue to change in the future. It is essential to stay informed and be aware of current events in order to make informed decisions and take action when needed. I have gained a deeper understanding of the material by combining the readings with the concepts discussed in the course.

By the end of the semester, my expectations include several things. My main hope is to have a strong feeling of accomplishment. I hope to have a better understanding and appreciation of the subject matter. I want to understand better why I am studying psychology and where I want to see myself. I feel a little lost right now for what I want to do with my future, but I will take the necessary actions to get me on the path of  “figuring it out.” I put that in quotations because every adult tells me they still are “figuring it out.”  I also hope to apply the knowledge I have gained to future situations. Ultimately, I anticipate a positive and successful outcome from the courses.