One of the perks of being a Saint Mike's student, or a college student in general, is being able to get awesome discounts just by flashing your snazzy school ID. I mean, who doesn't love a good discount? I know that I love getting a discount on things. There are tons of businesses that offer discounts, here are a few of the ones that I think are really great! - Amazon Student: With Amazon Student, you get a free trail of Amazon Prime for a year. This includes unlimited two day shipping that is free on all orders and a one-day shipping upgrade for only $4! -Amtrak: If you sign up for Amtrak's student advantage card, you can save 15% on all ticket fares. So for the avid traveler or for those that use the train to get home for school breaks, taking advantage of this could save you a good amount of money! - Banana Republic, J. Crew and Madewell: All of these wonderful stores offer a 15% off discount in all stores with a valid school ID. This is an awesome one to take advantage of because these stores can tend to be on the pricey-er side of stores. - Goodwill: If you are not into the stores posted above and are more interested in thrift shopping, then Goodwill is the perfect option! At most Goodwill locations, you can get a 10% off discount with a valid student ID! -Eastern Mountain Sports: For the outdoorsy people, EMS offers a 15-20% off discount This is an amazing deal as the majority of their stuff can be a bit expensive! -FedEx: As a student, you can get a 20-30% off discount on shipping. - New York Times: As a student, you can get a subscription to the New York Times for a reduced rate. - Chipolte: Receive a free drink with a purchase and a valid student ID! - Buffalo Wild Wings: BWW offers 10% off your total with a student ID! Another thing that is special about the KnightCard, our student ID card at SMC, is that it acts as our bus pass for the CCTA bus system here in Vermont. The CCTA is our form of public transportation to all of Chittenden County. Our KnightCard is also taken as a form of payment for places like Cumberland Farms right next to campus and Sweetwaters downtown on Church Street, along with other places! See, there are a ton of perks about being a college student! Another good thing about SMC, is that most of these stores are in close proximity to campus. So whether you want to grab a quick bite to eat, do a little shopping, or find an easy way to get home, there is always the option to do it at a discounted price! What could be better than that? Questions? Comments? Just wanna say hey? Email me! Tweet Tweet @shigosusanna Schedule a tour at SMC! HERE or leave a comment down below! What am I listening to?
Here at Saint Mike's you get the awesome opportunity to live the thug Smugg life. I'm talking about our amazing ski and snowboard opportunities here at SMC! I have been on the mountain since a very young age, but sort of got out of touch with mountain life during high school. As of now, I am so grateful that I learned how to ski at such a young age because going to Smuggler's Notch is one of my favorite winter weekend activities here at SMC. At SMC, we have an amazing deal on a full adult season pass to Smuggs. A normal adult season pass for Smuggler's Notch is around $530. As a student of Saint Mike's you get the exact same pass for only $65. That is less than a normal day ticket! How crazy! It is an amazing deal and I recommend that any student take advantage of it. This past weekend I went up to Smuggs with some friends and it was a great time. There were no lines at the lifts and it was a beautiful sunny day. The temperatures were high and the trails were great. We mainly stayed at the Madonna and Madonna 2 lifts all day, but towards the end we ventured over towards Sterling, which I had never been on before. We ventured over there not only to see the gorgeous views, but my Aunt Paige was running a competition over towards that side of the mountain. It was so cool to see a slopestyle competition and it was great to see my cousins!
Sterling lift is to the right. (photo taken from www.smuggs.com)
Photo by Jennifer Langille Photography. Check out her AMAZING photos HERE. This is a photo of the whole group at the competition. It was so cool to watch these kids ride for a little while. They are all amazing at what they can do on skis and a snowboard! Check out the Northern Vermont Series of USASA HERE
Overall, yesterday was fantastic. I was so tired by the end of the day that I fell asleep at 9 o'clock and didn't wake up until 9:30 this morning! But it was all worth it! If you come here as a student, I totally suggest taking advantage of the pass to Smuggler's Notch that we have available, even if you don't know how to ski or snowboard. Now is the perfect time to learn!
Chairlift pictures are my favorite especially on beautiful days.
As you can see, the view is beautiful from basically anywhere at Smuggs!
So this past week it has been quite chilly up here. On Friday, we got hit with a pretty large snowstorm which brought us at least a foot of snow. It was snowing all day long on Friday. It was snowing so bad, that the scavenger hunt that I signed up to help with for Founder's Society got cancelled (I was really bummed about it). There are some upsides to the snow though. One of the amazing things that is offered if you are a SMC student is our sweet deal to Smuggler's Notch. As a student, you get a $65 adult season pass to Smugg's. This is INSANE seeing as a regular adult season pass will cost you over $500. The great thing about this pass is that it gives you 50% off rentals and lessons, it gives you discounts on food, unlimited access to the mountain and access to the pools and hot tubs at Smugg's. The other wonderful thing about it here at SMC is that on the weekend there is a shuttle that takes you from campus to the mountain and back. What is not to love?! So many students take advantage of that here at SMC. Another thing is that the snow looks beautiful. While sometimes it can be a wee bit chilly, the snow on campus never fails at being gorgeous. Campus looks like a mix between Narnia and Frozen, what is not to love about that?! Speaking of Frozen, I believe that I am one of the few people that has yet to see it. All of my friends that have seen it absolutely adore it. The other day I was perusing YouTube like I normally do and I found this video and just HAD to share it with all of you! It is amazing!
Sledding. I mean, who doesn't love sledding? On Friday in the middle of the blizzard some of my friends and I had the wonderful idea to go sledding. Across the street at the view is a hill and we thought it would be the perfect place. Now, none of us had sleds. So we used cardboard boxes, old Alliot trays and the lids to some of our storage boxes. The old Alliot tray proved to be the best method. We had a blast as we froze. It was definitely a ton of fun! One of my good friends, Lida, has an amazing camera and takes great pictures. Here are some that she took that day!
I'm always posing. Why? I have no idea.
Candice giving Kelsie and I a little push in hopes of us gaining enough speed to go off the jump at the bottom. UPDATE: it didn't work. We missed the jump.
(l to r: Courtney and Candice)
(l to r: Courtney, Candice, Me, Teresa and Kelsie)
That is pretty much it for now! Questions? Comments? Just wanna say hey? Email Me HERE Tweet Tweet @shigosusanna Instagram: @shigosusanna Take a tour with me! Mondays at 10:30! ScheduleHERE!
I suppose this title is self explanatory, as it should be. Now I am slowly approaching the end of my sophomore year and I feel like I have college life pretty figured out (sometimes). Even though many people tried to give me tips and tricks to having a successful college career, I was always the one to just shrug it all off. Looking back, I wish I took all of their advice sooner. So, seeing as it is almost time for the class of 2018 to make their final decisions on where they will spend the next 4 years of their lives, I figured I would let you in on all the things I wish I had known before college. 1. Making real friends takes a good amount of time. In your first week you will find someone who you automatically click with. They will become your instant BFF. All the normal things will occur, like you calling your mom to say that you have found your absolute best friend. Beginning of second semester you awkwardly pass them on the way to class and think to yourself, "why were we even friends to begin with?" BEEN THERE. DONE THAT. This happens ALL THE TIME. It is basically impossible to become best friends with someone in a matter of hours. Finding people that will always be there for you may even take over a year. I am so blessed that I have been able to find a group of friends that are always there for me. Sure, we have had our ups and downs, but they will always have my back. 2. It's hard being away from home. If you would have told me this back when I was filling out my college applications, I would probably have laughed in your face. As much as I love my hometown, I was so desperate to get out. While I don't regret my decision to come to SMC one bit, at times it is hard to be away from home. I don't want to go home every weekend to do my laundry, but it would be nice to go home to see my dog occasionally or be there for my best friend's birthday without a 5 hour drive each way. I love SMC more than words can describe, it has become my home and I am so thankful for that. I am also so thankful for technology because it makes being away so much easier.
3. Classes can (and will) be challenging. Who ever said getting into college was the hard part, boy were they wrong. My first couple of semesters showed that. The purpose of being in a place of "higher learning" is to be challenged and to think in ways that you never have before. Its not supposed to be a repeat of high school, and if it is, then you may be in the wrong place. All of the information you are learning is advanced information so it is expected that you produce high-quality work. Be prepared to spend hours studying for one thing. The thing that I am grateful about here at SMC is while my classes are challenging, they are classes that I am extremely passionate about. My first couple of semesters, I was in a major that I chose just for the heck of it. I wasn't until last semester that I found a subject that I am truly passionate about. While at times spending hours in Bergeron seems daunting, I wouldn't change it for the world. 4. Go to Office Hours. Everyone told me this. I even tell people this every Monday when I give tours (come take a tour with me!) Practically everyone that I met told me this little tidbit of information but I always just brushed them off. I tend to be fairly shy unless I know you really well. I had it in my head that I was not going to go to office hours. BIG MISTAKE. I didn't go to my professor's office hours until after Thanksgiving. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING SUSANNA?! Professors can be intimidating, you can't find their office, you don't have time. Before you know it, the excuses just start building up and it is the end of the semester and your grade isn't all that hot. Go to their office hours a couple of days a week where you can just talk about life. Let them get to know you outside of the classroom. I love talking with professors here at SMC. While I was nervous at first, it totally helps. Before you know it you will be eating lunch with your professor or talking about the latest episode of Scandal. (P.S.- I wish I took everyone's advice. I didn't and my GPA would be much higher if I did.) 5. Everyone changes their major. Ok maybe not everyone, but a lot of people do. I know that you have loved the business world since second grade and that you always wanted to be the next Donald Trump or Oprah Winfrey. But then you start struggling in your classes needed for a business major and begin to question everything. And this my friends is why Liberal Arts schools like ours exists. They help you figure out where you fit the best. Go from education to business to media studies. Take classes outside of your comfort zone and test your boundaries. This could help you realize a new passion. Changing your major, even multiple times like me, is completely normal. 6. Don't judge a person by their Facebook profile. Being a media studies major, this is one lesson that I have learned about social media. In May, I was added to the Class of 2016 Facebook page and instantly went into creeper mode. Ask my friends, I am seriously the best Facebook creeper ever. In the midst of doing that, I made assumptions about people that were completely false and inhibited me from getting to know the real them. Some people that I thought were totally weird are actually some of the nicest people I know. I guess that the 2014 way of saying don't judge a book by its cover would be to say "don't judge a person by their Facebook profile."
7. You will make mistakes. You will fail at things. You may fall down the stairs. You may set the fire alarm off in your room because you burnt popcorn. But then you will achieve at things. You will get up after you fall. You will learn the exact time it takes to pop a perfect bag of popcorn. Mistakes are how you learn. Maybe brushing off studying before your macroeconomics final wasn't the best idea. Or eating an entire pint of Ben & Jerry's Americone Dream in one sitting (even though it was delicious). You try and try again until you can finally get it right. In college you don't only learn things about biology, philosophy, journalism or all the other subject areas. You also learn things about life. This blog post might have been a little heavy, but it is super important. To make things a little lighter, I will leave you with a wicked pretty picture of SMC, because it is the most beautiful and magical place on earth!
AHHHHH. I'm back at SMC and couldn't be happier. It truly is home to me. My first week back has been amazing. Classes started up on Monday and I am in love with my schedule this semester. Here at SMC, you take 4 classes a semester. The beauty of it all is that you basically have total freedom with your schedule. Say you are not a morning person. You have the option to take all of your classes starting after 11:00am. Or if you want to get all of them early, you can do that as well. I am sort of a morning person. I say sort of because while I complain about having to get up early for classes, it really isn't that bad once I realize that I have the rest of my day to do whatever I want to do. As I mentioned early, my schedule this semester is pretty sweet. Monday and Wednesday I only have one class from 8AM- 9:35AM. So essentially, I am finished with my classes for the day before some people even start. I think it is pretty cool. That class is called Deviance, Norms and Social Control. It is a sociology class and I find it really interesting. Now the major question I get is "what do I do with the rest of my day?" Well, I have rugby practice in the morning of both Monday and Wednesday from 6:15-7:45. After that I go to class. On Monday after class, I will rush to Alliot to get a quick breakfast then run to my room to grab a quick shower. I then will race over to Hoehl to give my weekly tour at 10:30. (schedule a tour HERE). After my tour, I will probably get some homework done, maybe take a nap and do what ever else I want to do. Its pretty nice. Tuesday and Thursday are my busy days. I have class from 8:00-9:35. That class is Communication for Social Good and so far I am really enjoying it. After that I have an hour and a half break to finish homework and get some food before my back to back classes in the afternoon. At 11:30, I have my Reporting for Media class and right after that I have my Race, Gender and Ethnicity in Media class. My race, gender and ethnicity class is by far my favorite. I really enjoy it. So far, the semester has been great, even though it is only the first week. I will update you on it more later!
Ta ta for now! Susanna Questions? Comments? Just wanna say hey? Email me! Tweet tweet @shigosusanna Leave a comment down below! What am I listening to?
Hello all. Yes, it has been 5 weeks since I last blogged, and I totally apologize for that. Between finals and being home, it was a little difficult. To make matters a little worse, the Internet has been really bad at my house so this is the first time during break that I have actually used my computer. To tell you the truth, I miss school more than words can allow me to describe. At school, it is easy to connect with friends. All you have to do is text them, meet them in Alliot or simply walk to their room. At home, it proves a little more complicated than all of those allow. I mean, you actually have to drive somewhere and gas is fairly expensive down here. But other than that, break has been fantastic. It hasn't been too crazy, but I can fill you in on a few of my high points.
Such a fantastic concert!
1. I was done really early with finals this year. It was the first time that I did not have to wait until the last day to come home. To make things even better, the Monday after I got home (the 16th) my mom and I had tickets to go see John Mayer. Let me tell you, it was fantastic. I have been a fan of John Mayer since I was in first grade. Crazy I know. The concert was great and it was lovely to spend sometime with my mom. 2. Christmas!! For all of you that know me, you are very aware that Christmas is my all time favorite holiday. I just love everything about it: the food, the family, the cold weather, the presents. EVERYTHING. I just love Christmas. We always do the same thing for Christmas and this year as no different. It was great to see my family and spend time with them. Two days ago we had Christmas with my dad's side of the family. (Christmas Eve and day are spent with my mom's side and New Year's Day is spent with my dad's.) It was great to see all of them and I finally got to meet my aunt and uncle's new dog, Jackson. He was so adorable.
Jackson!
3. New Year's Eve. Normally, I don't do anything for New Year's Eve. This year I went to one of my best friend's house and we just hung out. It was me and 3 of my best friends and it was fantastic to see them all again and catch up. We just talked and ate and watched the ball drop and I couldn't have had more fun. Sometimes it is hard to go to school so far away because I don't get to see them all of the time. But it is always good when I come back because I get to hear a ton of stories.
(l to r: Kelsey, Kate, Me)
4. SNOW! So it snowed last night- a lot. There is about 7ish inches of snow on the ground. I love snow. I think it is one of the prettiest things there is. My dog, Zoey, is not that fond of it. She would not leave the porch when I let her out.
In a little over a week, I will be back at school and I couldn't be more excited. I am so excited to see everyone again and to start all of my new classes. That's all for now! Susanna Questions? Comments? Just wanna say hey? Email Me! Tweet Tweet @shigosusanna or leave a comment down below! What am I listening to?
Hello all! There are only about 2 weeks left in the semester, so I thought I would tell you a little about my classes for next semester. Crazy how fast time flies when you are here at SMC. I sit here now, preparing for my finals and Thanksgiving by sitting at my desk, painting my nails, listening to Michael Buble Christmas pandora, and sipping hot chocolate out of my Christmas mug. As you can probably tell, I am a Christmas freak and cannot wait for it to be here. But that is getting ahead of myself. Registration this year proved quite difficult for me. I could compare it to the Hunger Games. I lost. Badly. But it all worked out in the end which I am very thankful for. It was a really stressful time, but the professors here are all amazing and helped me get the schedule that I really wanted. So what am I taking next semester? Well keep reading!! Deviance, Norms and Social Control: (Mon/Wed 8-9:35): I am really excited to take this class. I think that if I really like it, I will finally declare a minor (Sociology!) This class seems really interesting and I heard that the professor is amazing. Even though it is at 8 am, I am still super pumped for it! We live in a social world that is full of rules that govern our everyday actions, from formal laws about which side of the road we should drive on to unspoken rules about how and when to blow your nose. Sociologists call these rules "social norms" and the efforts to "police" those who deviate from them (deviants), we call "social control." Most of us follow the rules most of the time but all of us break the rules from time to time. In this course we will ask questions like: What is the purpose of social norms? What causes "deviance"? Why are some deviant acts considered "criminal" while others are considered "heroic"? What are some of the best (and worst) ways to reduce crime and violence? Along the way we will take a critical look at the U.S. criminal justice system and some of its most egregious crimes against poor, non-white, young males. Communication for Social Good: (T/TH 8-9:35): Personally, this was one of my backups. But the more I read about it, the more excited I get. Yes, again, an 8 am, but I think it will be a really interesting class. Plus it helps for my major which is great! Various topics, ranging from women in the mass media to advanced Web design and theory to literary journalism. Reporting for Media: (T/TH 11:30-1:05): This was one of the classes that I struggled getting into. Thankfully, they opened up another section so I was able to get it. I have this class with Professor Cleary. I love her as she is so nice and extremely knowledgeable on the topic area. In this course, we begin with an analysis of several exemplary print publications and a discussion of literary and media theories that will inform the student's work in creating their own stories. Students will learn the art of storytelling, from story idea through interviewing, researching and writing and ultimately, over a series of weeks, publish their own stories in the student newspaper and online publication. Course readings explore basic concepts pertaining to nature and design of interviews, ethical concerns, validity, and role of the journalist in a democratic society. Additional exercises focus on best form writing practices with an emphasis on AP style. The course is designed to be a broad, rigorous orientation for understanding basic elements of media writing as well as skills training in reporting, writing, editing and publication of news media. Race, Gender and Ethnicity in Media: (T/TH 1:15-2:05): This is the class that I was looking forward to the most. I am so happy that I got in and I honestly cannot wait to take this class. I adore Professor Griffith and I know that this topic is something that she is really passionate about. This course is an introduction to analysis of representations of identities such as race, gender, sexual orientation , and ethnicity in the mass media. We view, read about, analyze and discuss mass media like television, film, print, radio, music, sports, news, advertising, and the web to determine if and how race, gender and ethnicity are depicted. An underlying understanding within the course is recognition of the inextricable interconnections between/intersectionality of gender, race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, etc. Students will write response/reflection papers, present analyses individually in class, and work in teams to produce a research project analyzing the issues discussed in class. So those are all my classes for next semester. As for the past couple of weeks, I have just been working on a lot of projects and basking in all of my free time now that rugby is over. I do really miss it though. We had our banquet on Friday and it was great to be back together again. I cannot wait for the spring season! Oh! And it snowed yesterday! Just a little, but it is still snow! Emma, Candice and I got stuck walking across campus in it. It was quite painful with all the wind and when we got back we were dripping wet. It was all worth it though!
(l to r: Candice, Emma, Me!)
We were soaking wet! This picture does not do it any justice!
