College Orientation- Names and Games and Getting Lost OH MY

Hello Everyone out there in the real world. It feels a bit surreal to be living at college right now, knowing that classes will start tomorrow and knowing that I will probably never see the light of day due to all the studying. It feels like I am in a completely different world, ruled by orientation schedules and ice breaker games. If I never have to play a name game again it will be too soon! But any ways, I will give you the lowdown on how this weekend went and what I am anticipating college life to be like.
On Thursday, August 23rd, I moved into my dorm. What a crazy, crazy day that was. There was just swarms of people around and people trying to get their stuff unpacked and semi settled before they herded us off to do some more orientation fun! So, that seemed a little daunting with all of those people and all of that chaos, but it worked and I survived. The worst part of the day was that it was just extremely hot and humid and was not so great for having to lug things up and down three stories, since I am on the third floor. We had a couple of seminars and met with orientation groups which we stayed with for the rest of the weekend. After the convocation, which is a welcoming ceremony for the class of 2011, we had to say goodbye to our parents. This was the part of the day that I was absolutely dreading, not knowing how I would react or how they would react. But it went pretty smoothly and I did better than I thought. It was actually kind of a relief to get the goodbyes over with and to know that now I was on my own and had to just do this myself. I had lost my orientation group, so I didn't know who to sit with, so I just sat down randomly with a couple of girls and one of the girls ended up being from Buffalo. She lives in Tonawanda as well, right down the street from my cousin Nicolle, with whom she went to school and was good friends with. She is also in my major, so I thought that it was just really cool that it worked out that way! So that was pretty much that day of orientation, but don't be fooled, there is sooooo much more.
On Friday we had some presentations about academic advisement, the first year center and other helpful things for freshman to know. We also had small group discussions about a book that we had to read over the summer. Our group actually had a sub faculty member that was leading the discussion, so she wasn't reallly as prepared, but it was the perfect discussion. She really took the time and just talked with us about our educational careers and how its ok to be selfish sometimes to get done what you need to. She just had such a refreshing look on academics that it was just what I needed to affirm my faith in why I chose Naz and how much I should enjoy it here. We also got to meet our academic advisor, mine was Dr. Greene, who was completely cool. She advises all of the incoming freshman who are majoring in Communications and Rhetoric, so I got to meet all the freshman who are in my program as well. She was also very refreshing in her views and very casual in the atmosphere in which we were. It was nice to know that she was there pulling for me and that she would help when I needed her. There was casino night on friday, which we went to for like 15 minutes to see what it was all about, but since none of us girls knew how to play any of the games, we left and went back to one of their dorm rooms for a bit.
On Saturday, we had a presentation on how work study is run and how to find a job, which I will be trying to do. I have work study in my financial aid package, so I am eligible to earn up to a certain amount of money this year through a job. So I should work 10 hours a week in order to get all of that money and not earn it too quickly or too slowly, because once you have earned your alloted amount, then thats it you can't earn any more. So I will be looking for a job at the job fair today and they have to hire you by friday so that you know if you have a job or not. So I would greatly appreciate it if all of you would keep me in your prayers to be able to get a job and love the job that I get. Yesterday we also did community service for about 2 1/2 hours. My group got to scoop ice cream for senior citizens at a senior home. It was really fun, and I enjoyed seeing the seniors and their families enjoying their time together. Last night was possibly the most fun I have had this whole weekend and perhaps in a while all due to a man named Dave Binder. This man is a musician who loves to write his own songs and make little paradies of other songs. He's kind of like Weird Al, but much more creative and much more humorous. He comes every year to the Naz orientation and its kind of like a right of passage. He looks like your typical dad figure and that is probably what makes him even funnier that he is doing all this crazy stuff. The first song that he did for us was called the freshman rap, which actually was a rap that he made up and it was just absolutely hysterical. If any one wants to see a taste of what he does, just go to you tube and search Dave Binder,Head shoulders knees, toes.
Today we have a seminar about campus securiy and the student activities. We also have the job fair, which I am very nervous about and am hoping that I am able to get a good job and get hired quickly. That is pretty much it for today, they seemed to have run out of activities for us to do this weekend, but that is fine since we need some down time. It will be nice to have to some time to get ready for classes tomorrow and be able to go to bed at a decent time.
I promise that I will post some pictures on my next post and I will introduce you all to my roommate.

High School Graduation- Friday June 22,2007

So finally the time has come for me to graduate high school. My graduation ceremony was held at UB Center for the Arts. I was really quite nervous to go to the ceremony because it felt like my whole high school career had culminated to this one moment when I walked across the stage. I was also sure that I was going to trip across the stage as I got my diploma! But the school nurse, Mrs. Baer, assured me that if I tripped she would come running to help. Thanks Baer! Seeing as graduation was two weeks after the last day of school, it felt like I had already graduated and had already moved on. The night seemed so much more non momentous then I thought it would be. I thought we would have to practice for hours instead of the five minute talk they gave us before we went out there. And the ceremony went quite quickly despite my fears of sitting there for hours. I did not trip, but I can not guarantee you that I shook everyone’s hand on the stage, seeing how there were like 20 people up there and I was concentrating on just getting across the stage. And then less than a minute later, that was it, I guess that meant that I had graduated. Why does walking across a stage and accepting a diploma holder mean that you graduated? I guess it’s all for the ceremony. But the evening was harmless and not as painful as I had imagined. I felt like I needed to say sweeping goodbyes to people who I knew that I would never see again, but everyone seemed to be very casual about the night. What a strange was to close that chapter of my life. I guess it was just as well.












My mom, dad, brother, Grandma, Aunty, Grandpa, and Nana were all able to come to the ceremony which was really nice. After the ceremony we went out for dessert at Butterwood, which is a nice dessert place on Main St. We had the most delicious desserts and the presentation was incredible. I couldn’t help take a picture of my dessert which was an M&M mouse cake.










It was a great night and I felt very proud of all my hard work and dedication that I had put into high school. Now onto college!

Senior Prom- June 8th,2007

This year’s prom was held at the Holiday Inn on Grand Island. We had a jam packed day full of activities that the school had planned for us. We had to go to school in the morning in order to attend prom. At school we had to see a drunk driving demonstration and a speaker from MADD. We also got our yearbooks which was very fun! After that we all dispersed to go get ready for the evening. I didn’t have that much to do to get ready because this year I decided to do my hair myself and just straighten it. It turned out great and simple just like I wanted it. So once we were all ready, all the girls met at my friend Allison’s house to get the limo and head for Glen Falls for pictures. Once again this year it was just girls in our group on account that all of us decided that we did not want to deal with the hassle of dates and having to babysit them at prom. It worked really well last year and once again this year it worked out perfect.














Here is a picture of me before the prom.








And here is a picture of all the girls in front of the limo.








We went to Glen Falls to take pictures with the whole group and our families in tow. It was quite a scene because there were many proms that night so it was very crowded. We were very concerned that it was going to rain that night and that pictures would not happen. But luckily the rain held out while we were taking pictures and started pouring almost exactly when we got back into our limo! While we were at Glen Falls I spotted a not so attractive dress, which you can witness below.





Here is a picture of the absolutely hideous dress.









And here are most of the girls in front of the falls at Glen Falls before the Prom.



This was our table setting at the prom and all of our favors which were photo albums and personalized mint tins. Very Cute!

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These are my two really good friends Melissa and Miriam enjoying the night.

I had an absolute blast at Prom. I have to say that Senior Prom is definitely much more fun than Junior Prom. It felt great to have one last party with all of my friends after all the tests were done, all the college applications were in and high school was practically over. We danced all night and had such a good time. After prom we went to the Hard Rock Cafe in Niagara Falls which was very fun because I had never been to one before. Senior Prom was definitely a night that I will remember for the rest of my life. So cliche, I know, but it’s true.

One last note to add to this post. Right before I was finished getting ready for the Prom my absolutely wonderful brother surprised me with a brand new digital camera for my graduation present. So, I just wanted to thank him for that very generous gift, because without that, this blog would not be possible!