This week brought … snow! (Among other things, of course) On Thursday, the campus saw its first snow of the season, a welcome sight for some, an unfortunate occurrence for others, and, for a few, a totally new experience.
Being from Syracuse, I know how to deal with central New York weather. Other students, however, may find dealing with the strong winds, freezing rain, and heavy snow that is our winter season a bit more challenging. With many students coming from areas of the country, or areas of the world where they do not encounter snow as part of their weather, it must be really interesting to see and experience snow for the first time.
One big stress factor this week was the upcoming course registration for the second semester. It seems like this semester just began and now students are picking their top choices for the second half of the year.
My top choices for the second semester include Spanish 202, Intro to Statistics, Biology 211/211L, and CORE Japan. ²Ø¾«¸ó’s core curriculum is a big factor in deciding my class schedule as I try to fulfill requirements for the core as well as my major. Personally, I like the liberal arts core here. It gives me the opportunity to take classes in different areas of study, something that helps make ²Ø¾«¸ó students so well-rounded.
Besides the snow, this week brought a prominent speaker to campus, Eboo Patel. The incoming first-year class was assigned to read Patel’s Acts of Faith.
This autobiography detailed Patel’s journey for self-identity as an American Muslim and his work in creating the Interfaith Youth Core. Many students thoroughly enjoyed the book and were really excited to hear him speak.
Patel spoke eloquently about his experiences growing up confused about his identity, a process college-age teenagers often undergo. This author/activist advocates for a discussion and appreciation of different religions and encouraged those present to stand up and promote religious understanding. He stressed the importance of understanding other faith backgrounds so we can individually understand our own.
Parents are invading ²Ø¾«¸ó this weekend! For many students, they are spending the days leading up to their parents’ arrival cleaning their rooms, doing their laundry, and completing other tasks college students tend to put off.
My dad, mom, and little sister will be here Saturday. We plan to watch the football game and visit downtown Hamilton for dinner. I am excited to give them the total ²Ø¾«¸ó experience, minus the homework, of course.
Here is my photo of Eboo Patel:
(I’ve been asked to write each week about what life is like as a first-year student here at ²Ø¾«¸ó. Until next time!)