WORD OF ADVICE

                  In all essence, we do come to college hoping to find "that special someone". Males come to impress and the females come to dress. These two things only last for such a short period of time. At least until we all become comfortable around the people we see every single day. Utica College is not such a small campus for only being a college, but in time it will seem to be very small! So here are my words of advice....

                         Everyone knows everyone so there is no need to try "creeping". There is no such thing, because there is always someone watching. It is very easy to spot someone from your window without squinting just by knowing how they dress or walk. Ask any upperclassman, they will tell you the same thing. Still, my words of advice must remain separate for male and female. Of course, I will start with the females...

To my wonderful female high school graduates,

I know you think your great looking, you know all you need to know, you want to get your hair and nails done every 1-2 weeks, etc. This will all change when you see the female who looks better to you in your mind, you'll meet another female who knows more than you, you'll realize you won't have enough money all the time to get your hair and nails done....it will all change.

-Loose the overly confident attitude.
There is so much more for you to learn in college about others and mostly yourself. You should remain open to ideas and listening to your advisers. Don't make yourself so susceptible to not asking for help when you need it. Just loose the attitude because it will only get you so far.

-Don't be vulnerable.
These guys will seem all great because now they are "college guys". Upperclassmen guys will appear to be even more attractive. Don't pay them so much attention unless they do something extraordinary to get it because then you will regret it. Every guy you like, maybe 5 other girls like him as well. Just because he is smart and attractive doesn't mean everything he tells you is true.

-Don't become a twin.
Us females love to have a best friend by our sides. We love have someone to go to the bathroom and cafeteria with us on a daily basis. Still, you will soon realize your best friend can become your worst enemy. Remember to always be your own person. You weren't born with them and it is a possibility they won't make it to your future.

-Don't spend the money you don't have.
Unless your parents are rich or high-class, you don't have it like that. It is very easy for us to spend money that we never really had in the first place. The mall will always be there. The guy you like doesn't need to see you in a new outfit everytime you see him.

-Don't let her get the best of you.
It's very easy for females to become jealous and envious. Don't let other females get the best of you. You don't want to feel like you have to "out do" other females. It isn't worth it, because there is always something they don't have that you do. Your not in competition because everyone is there to get their bachelor's and there is enough to go around for everyone. 

For the excited male high school graduates,

Yes, you are finally out of high school and you can meet some more interesting, older and educated females. You want to look your best with your name brand, louis vuitton and gucci belts, polo shirts, and expensive footwear. Here is something you may want to remember....

-Loose the hype.
Don't become so overly hyped about college that you forget what you initially came there for. You are not old enough to drink, it's not okay to stay up till 4am when you have an 8:30 class. Keep your mind focused on your initial goals of leaving in 4 YEARS with your bachelor's. If not, then the same friends keeping you back will only move forward without you.

-Avoid the vulnerability.
You aren't someone to be used by your friends or females on campus. If you have a car, you must remember you don't need to give everyone a ride. People will become your best friend if they know you have a car. Females will expect you to give up more than just your time, don't do it unless you know you can. It isn't all about the ladies.

-Get involved
Many males refuse to get involved in organizations. B.O.N.D. (Brothers On A New Direction) is not the only organization you can become involved in. Also, sports are the only aspect of your college experience. Be able to enjoy everything that captures your interest.

-Make them proud
Remember how important your grades are. Even though it is your first semester, it is not okay to flunk out. The partying and females will ALWAYS be there. You should make sure you put yourself first and your school work to make your family proud of you as well.

ALL IN ALL, everyone should know the opposite sex is there and they will always bet there. In many instances, people find their significant others on the college campus. Others don't have the chance of doing so. Still either way, everything happens differently for everyone. Don't go searching for love and happiness, just let it happen. In the meantime, you should concentrate on schoolwork and improving yourself. So here is my biggest word of advice, "It's 4 years of college, it happens now so enjoy every moment because it will stick with you forever."

You did it...Or have you yet?

               YOU DID IT! You hear these words in screams from loved ones, written on balloons and repeated over and over inside your head. You did it! Yes, you've graduated from high school, but soon you'll realize this is only such a tiny spec of your life. You didn't do it yet, you are just beginning to do it. It's kind of like only learning to be potty trained. You've learned to crawl in high school and say "goo, gaa or mama", but college will teach you how to be completely potty trained and walk on your own without anyone holding on to you. Still, you are apart of Class of 2010...How does it feel? Great, right!? Now your challenge is to make it class of 2014, because like they say in the beginning. "The person to your right and left freshmen year will not be there when your at graduation..."

                    It was a drag, it was the time of your life, it was full of drama, it was horrible, it was great...we all have our own opinion of what the high school experience was for us. Either way, we all must college is an entire new ball game. It's so easy to fall into the "hype" of being on our own.

Empty Campus, Empty Minds

            It's finally May 2nd, 2010 and the school year is officially coming to a very end in the next couple of days. Everyone's hair is undone, sweatpants and caffeine are your best friends, hands are hurting, computer labs are full, 3-hour laptop wait in the library and there is no time to breath. Finals are coming and if you never heard of pressure, it's here now.
            After the completion of all finals, bags, storage bins, trucks, vans and cars are packed to capacity. All the rooms are back to having only a desk, dresser, closet and bed. The relief of pressure is gone and the excitement of summer rushes to you. Still, Utica College seem to be forgetting one thing.
            Even though you are not enrolled in classes for the summer, does not mean your brains should be on pause. Every single hall and classroom of Hubbard is empty, but is your mind too?

                Summer vacation for most college students are full of working or fun. Regardless of your plans for the summer, everyone should remain proactive. Everyone at Utica College has a goal for after graduation. This should be a vacation from stress, but not relief from reality. You are still students and working towards a goal. Most people wait till their senior year to decide on plans for the future.
                As a freshman, you've just completed your first year of college. The excitement is the same as going from high school to college. In many ways, you feel as though you have grown a great deal in only one year. This experience for you has been enjoyable and the sight of reality may have not hit you as hard. Your sophomore year will be more difficult in course loads. The 100 and 101 courses are going further and further away from you. You should make a 3-year plan of the courses necessary for graduation. Many people end up going into their 5th year of college. Why wait, when this is your chance to be on top of things before the real stress begins.
                As a sophomore, you have grown almost completely. Your past two years have went by so quickly. It's hard for you to even realize your junior year in college is here. Well, you are at a perfect time. You may not have as much fun as you did as a freshman or even a sophomore year. You should have chosen a major and know the exact requirements for graduation. You should evalute your performance in courses for the past two years. Be able to see what you need to change in study habits or time management. These two aspects will be essential to your next two years.
                As a junior, you feel like you've "been there, done that." Yes, YOU ARE A SENIOR. There are some things you should be able to understand. First off you should realize, in ONE (1) year, you will be out in the real world. If you don't already, you should have a plan for after graduation. The Office of Career Services should be your best friend. Open a credential file, fix or add to your resume, make a cover letter and receive your personalized business cards. For the next year, you shouldn't only succeed in every class. You should be looking for career fairs on campus and off, applying for internships this summer and so on.Find out what is going to help you stand out above the rest applying for jobs or graduate school. There is no time for you to waste on the little aspects of college. The drama for you is out of the window. This is an analogy for being able to fully comprehend you don't have time for anything unimportant but your school work.

                As a senior, THIS IS IT. You've done it. Your college years are over. You may be starting to feel a bit scared due to all the stories on the economy. The only thing a senior needs to understand is you have made it this far, there is no reason to doubt yourself now. Find a job ASAP. Your resume and cover letters should be set in place. From this point on, YOUR life starts. You have to be able to stand on your own two feet. There will be no one holding your hand. People say its easy to loose your motivation after you graduate, but keep it there. Stay positive, because remember the person you were as a freshman till now. They are two different people...

 Despite what year of college we are in, our minds should always be active. Things should not become a blur.

Extra-Va-Ganza

                  There are only a select few people who understand what the Extravaganza event truly means, but on Saturday, April 24, 2010 it was seen again.
                  Africa In Motion (AIM) prepared heavily for the huge audience attending this annual event. The only issue is no one can ever truly be completely prepared. The crowd becomes so big every year. AIM Alumni, Utica College Alumni, friends and family of performers waited impatiently on line. Prior to the event, AIM advertised to the fullest this year. They reserved a showcase in front of the Student Activities Office and left a sign standing there for people coming through Strebel Student Center.

                  There were many plans in advanced for everything. It appeared to be a mini-fashion show as everyone came dressed up with their best outfits. The dancers came more prepared to give their audience a show. Through the disappointments, excitement, happiness, and confusion, AIM and the other groups managed to forget about all the mixed emotion from the audience. People remained in their chairs and others stood on their feet. Regardless, everyone enjoyed some part of the show. This in all you can say is a true accomplishment!

Recap of the show:

Hosts for the show: Monique Sidberry & Keron Alleyne

 AIM opening the show

Phi Beta Sigma Steppers

"No Behavior" from Herkimer Community College

Singer: Danielle Moore...Back-up Singers: Monique Sidberry & Margarita Cruz

Samson the Poet

 AIM in their 2nd section

Angelic Voices of Unity - Gospel Choir

Team Mannequin from SUNY IT

Team F.E.M.

Africa In Motion Closing the show!!!

Let's Create a BOND, While I cater to you

             The most well-known all male campus organization comes up with a bright idea to reach out only towards the females.

             They created an event called "Cater To You." The flyers hung high for days and females continuously stopped and smiled. Days prior to the event, there was talk on the quad, the pathway and in the lounges amongst females. The excitement was overwhelming for them. They would be able to get their hair, nails and eyebrows done. There would be no better day!

             Still, the "Cater To You" day came and the Brothers On A New Direction looked "spiffy", but there were some sad female faces. The specialist for doing nails was not able to attend. Along with this downfall, there was only one hairstylist available to flat iron hair and complete eyebrows. 
             Darven Dodard, who is the dean of membership for BOND, speaks about where the idea came from. He explains it was organized by Keron Alleyne and Jabari Scutchins. Alleyne brought it up because females complained about males never doing anything for them. Also, females were concerned with the lack of gentlemen found. "We expected the event to by a lot faster," Dodard said. Their planning in advance fell threw as the specialists canceled on them one by one.

              The event as a whole was successful for it's last minute changes. Females' hair were flowing after being stuck in a bun. Their eyebrows were arched after almost being connected to one another. This was all possible with the Gianni Lauryn Hair Studio on 3805 Oneida Street in New Hartford. In the end, all the females participated were able to get $5 off if they attend the salon. As the years go by, this event should be a very frequent one with more options for the females.

Females can shop MORE at the bookstore

               The Utica College Bookstore has expanded it's apparel to fit the female students' interest after the usual settlement for the unisex clothing.

               Savannah Hansen, assistant manager of the UC Bookstore, is in charge of the general merchandise. Ever since June 2009, she has been working for the bookstore. Hansen has been able to change the bookstore for the better. Her decisions have allowed the bookstore to sell more women's clothing than every before. 

               As in the past, the bookstore goes through a particular process for orders. Lauren Partyka, manager of the UC Bookstore, is in charge of the school supplies and book orders. According to Hansen, the supplies are chosen from a "Pick List" given to the store by the home office. Partyka and Hansen are being told the amount of each supply to sell to the students by the corporate offices. For the books, it's process differs. 

              For years, it has been the same way of ordering trade and reference books. The books are ordered on demand by students or professors. As for other times, it would be sent automatically to the store from the vendors. If professors had an upcoming exam for their students, they would special order the books through  the bookstore. 

              The clothing has been chosen from the "Assortment Plan" given to each college bookstore of Barnes & Noble. Each brand would tell the bookstore what type of clothing can be sold in the store. Another aspect for the clothing for years has been the GM Newsletter. This is provided to all Barnes & Noble College Booksellers about the different trends and the ways other bookstores are selling their clothing. 

              "The students are our customers and we sell what they want," said Hansen. She felt her motivation for selling the women's clothing came from the students. According to Hansen, her female student workers constantly complained about the lack of women's fitted clothing. 

               Hansen first tested the waters of female clothing with "Fear the Moose - Utica" tees. "These t-shirts were not good at all," she said. "They ran too small and close-fitted." These shirts did not sell well for the bookstore. The Champion vendor sold better for the bookstore displaying "Utica College" on the front. 

               "I realized there has been a lot more women's clothing being sold," said Jamilia Cain. She is a sophomore psychology student. "I love the UC tees and the tie-dye shirts, but I brought some track shorts and a zippered sweatshirt." 

                In December 2009, Jansport sold black and white sweatpants with "Utica" in pink zebra print to the bookstore. According to Hansen, every bookstore in the upstate region carried these pants specifically for their school. "The black ones sold out in a week, but the white ones a lot slower," she said. She constantly speaks with the Hamilton bookstore allowing the region to all sell similar clothing. 

               Women's clothing now makes up between 15 to 20 percent of the stores' general merchandise. The new tie-dye navy sweatshirts for women were sold out in one month. These new trends were especially posted in the GM Newsletter. In February of 2010, the newsletter promotes the "Spring Theme Table" of Pink and Green. As it states, "New product for the spring table should be set up on 3.01.10 and will feature Spring Break travel items continuing with the pink and green trend." There have been many changes not only in the bookstore, but in what they are persuaded to convey from the stores. 

                The bookstore has continued to improve on the intake of female fitted clothing. Their growth of the clothing has allowed it to be sold very quickly. 

Undercover Haters

                 The term "hater" has continuously been used language, but we don't seem to notice the true haters surrounding us. Then again, they are more behind the scenes. They are "undercover".

                   As we think back, everyone remembers "Angela Smith". This was apparently a Utica College student, who made a fake facebook account. They took it upon themselves to expose gossip from campus drama. Everyone was appalled and shocked by these accusations. People stayed near their sidekicks and laptops to see what he or she will post next. Rumor after rumor destroyed relationships, friendships and personal integrity. Students tried as hard as possible to put two and two together trying to figure out who was responsible. Eventually, you saw papers on the front of Strebel Student Center's doors asking about any available information. Of course, there were false assumptions on certain people. In the end, it all died down until another "Angela Smith" account was made. There was more exposure and hurtful statements made about students. Till this day, no one is absolutely positive about who did it or if these statements were true. The rumors floated away and UC students moved on.
                   As much as we hate to admit it, these people can be our very friends. Everyone would become surprised with a huge incident like the facebook account. Still, we don't seem to realize we are surrounded by "haters" on a daily basis. We may be telling our best friend private information, then they tell their other best friend, and the cycle continues. Undercover haters are surrounded by you on this campus constantly. You can not be surprised about huge incidents, because it happens right in front of your face in smaller portions. Rather than accusing others of being "haters", we should think about whether or not we are giving something to talk about. You shouldn't spread your business loosely and expect things to remain a secret. Maybe in actuality the we are our own undercover hater.
                    Still, the most perplexing thing is why do these people have to hide their identity? We wonder to ourselves, what could they possibly be gaining? For a person to create a fake e-mail address, fake facebook account and spend time writing rumors, we wonder are you passing your classes? There are so many questions for the people who hide their identity to expose others. These may be the same people with a bad reputation trying to take the attention off of themselves. We may be giving them something to talk about, but these people have no right to prey into people's business anonymously.
                    As the relieve comes off our shoulders about Angela Smith, we enjoy our twitter accounts on the blackberries and iphones. Then, here comes "YouGotBlownUp". Someone creates a fake twitter account exposing more gossip. He or she has decided to tell everyone to send them a personal message if they would like to tell someone's "dirt". Who in their right mind would send information to them knowing they could possibly tell the public about the message. Obviously, they are coming up with these accusations all on their own. Why should we entertain these people?
                     Now, it goes both ways. Regardless if the information is accurate or not, there is no right for anyone to post information about our private lives. The "Honesty Box" and "Formspring" isn't any different than the fake accounts. People are asking you questions about your life. People are telling you things that they can't say to your face. Yet, everyone goes around calling themselves "trustworthy" and "real". Again, we entertain the gossip. When someone asks you personal questions on formspring, no need to post them on facebook or twitter. We are constantly giving people ideas about us. Your facebook statuses and tweets are a reflection of who you are. People will only know what you tell them.
                       I've heard of other colleges having the same issue. Still, you should be aware Utica College is a very small campus. What you tell one person may actually be telling 3 other people. We don't seem to realize the undercover haters could be the person always next to us. We shouldn't give them something to talk about. Remember your best friend is your worst enemy.