Typed Conversation

Text Messaging, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, MSN, Yahoo, AIM, and Email. Does anyone actually have a conversation face to face anymore? Nowadays it feels everything is typed communication, like no one actually has a well rounded deep conversation anymore. I remember when I was younger and I used to be on the phone for hours at a time talking with family, friends and people in general. Now as I've gotten older, its become less frequent and more digitalized. I don't like it. I try to talk to people on the phone but I usually don't get as long a conversation as I would have liked. Or I call people and then they don't answer but respond with a text message. This to me makes absolutely no sense. I wish we could go back to those days where a phone conversation was valued greatly. I miss the 90s.

Let there be Snow

This week was really the first time this semester we received snow on campus. Though snow causes problems and is very dangerous I am actually grateful for it. People complain its too cold, too much slush, and the winds are too strong. Yes these are the conditions that come with winter at Oz, and if you don't like those conditions what did you really expect here? Those conditions are indeed bad, and at times hard to deal with, but regardless its winter! I'm happy I can experience winter where other parts of the world have never even seen snow. I like when the snow falls at night, and how pretty the campus looks with snow.
I especially enjoy white Christmases. This year will be the first year I will not have a white Christmas because I live in Florida , and there is obviously no snow over there. Maybe a little frost now and then but nothing like opening the curtains on Xmas morning and seeing fresh snow on the ground. Now my Xmas will probably be replaced with a rain shower or a beaming sun. To me this is out of the norm and weird. However,I wont knock new experiences. Even though I may not like a sunny Xmas many Floridians probably do. To each his own.

Applewhite

In March 1997, 39 people were found dead in a mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, CA. One man was responsible for these deaths, his name was Marshall Applewhite. Applewhite is one of many infamous people who have been leaders of the most controversial cults in history. He declared himself the reincarnation of a higher being like Christ. He founded Total Over comers Anonymous aka Heavens Gate in 1975. This cult is one of most legendary in U.S history.
Applewhite had strange beliefs and rules that set him apart from any other cult leader. He believed he was a messenger from the " evolutionary kingdom level above human." He said he was sent on a special mission and if people studied with him they too would be able to shed their human "containers" and evolve to this higher level above human. Applewhite had very strict rules for his followers. He required them to give up everything,which meant giving up family, friends, possessions and sex.This to me was probably his worst action. Stripping someone of their own identity and giving them a new one is cruel and inhuman. Though some societies in the world actually do just this, his way of doing it was extreme.
People like him take advantage of weaker people. This is the only reason I can understand why cults exist in the first place.

Culture

One of my biggest dreams or rather goals is to travel the world. I want to explore different lands and see different things. But more importantly I want to experience new cultures and meet people with different values and views far from my own. I think this is the best way to experience a new place, whether it is a new town, state or country. Getting to know the culture is probably the most rewarding thing.
I never really realized this until when I first moved to Florida six years ago. I had been to Florida plenty of times on vacation so I thought I knew what to expect. Boy was I wrong about that. I moved to Jacksonville Florida. I don’t know if you’ve ever been, but it is definitely not like Orlando. Orlando is full of tourist attractions and people whose purpose is to cater to tourists. In Jacksonville it was completely different. You hear the thick southern accents, and the manners that people have are incredible, something that I was not used to too. There were also draw backs, like the education there was so far behind that of New York. Also people talked with this slow drawl that I could not deal with because I was used to things being said quickly. Everything down there was slowed down and it was a bit hard for me to get used. The environment however, was very different. It was like a relaxed, stress free environment.
Now from this experience I learned that just because you visit a different area doesn’t necessarily mean you experienced the culture. I encourage people to stay in an area longer then just vacation time. And instead of staying in a hotel, stay with a friend or a local motel. Yes some places may be beautiful in appearance but the cultures may be more intriguing and more appealing.

My planner is my bestfriend

Yes it is true, my planner and I have a solid relationship. It never leaves my side.My planner has been everywhere with me and back. Only since I became a student at this school have me and my planner had this bond. I usually put everything in my phone but since I’ve been here I have used my planner more frequently then ever before.
I write all my assignments,meetings, important events and due dates all in there. It helps me to see things written down so I can cross them out as they are completed. This gives me a little sense of accomplishment each time I cross something out. When t-mobile acts up, and everything I have written on my phone planner is gone, I have a backup hard copy.
Recently while traveling between home and school, Jet blue lost one of my luggage's. In there was my beloved planner and I was having a mini panic attack. All my due dates of assignments and everything was in this tiny little planner and they had lost it. Luckily it was found in a short period of time, and me and my planner were reunited again.
I suggest you invest in a planner, it helps you get things done on time and helps you remember a lot.

Fears of College

Coming to college is a big transition for many freshmen. I can say that it was definitely different then high school and I feel that high school doesn’t prepare you well enough for the transition. Though I've come to realize it hasnt been that bad, some of my fears were typical before arriving. I thought I would get lost in the shuffle of the university and be alone. I realized early on that this is not true and I have met a lot of great people here so far. Also I knew the workload in college is a great difference from that of high school and one of my biggest concerns was that I wouldn't be able to handle it. I’ve been told to not look at this negatively but to believe I will be able to complete my assignments on time and to the best my ability. So far it has been going good, a little harder then highschool but thats expected.
I believe Oswego was the perfect school for me to choose. I am happy to say Oswego has a great support system of Laker leaders, Advisors, Professors and others who are here to assist students in anything. I feel that the size of the school helps me feel more comfortable because it’s not overwhelmingly big and at the same time not to small where I can be on my own.