Living Life In a Fish Bowl

A profile piece on a SUNY Brockport Resident Assistant Shaquan Harris.

Do You Love The Sport?

Photo credit to http://www.gobrockport.com/roster.aspx?path=football&

Many incoming students come to college with the goal of playing sports.

That was the case for wide receiver Daniel Crawford, a 20 year old football player at SUNY Brockport.

Crawford said, “Coming here, I emailed the coach and sent him my highlight tape and he invited me. But if you come in fresh prospect, they have walk-ons and try out dates for people who come to the school and don’t know. They are then put through the same drills as current players.”

“If you have the ability and show some type of athleticism in the sport, you have the best possibility to make it,” said Crawford

It can be hard to come into a new environment. Crawford said competing with people who have been here for years has definitely been a challenge. “It’s very competitive because there are people who are taller and faster than you.”

On a team with give or take 90 players it can be hard to shine. Crawford said that it’s always good to keep practicing, improving, and not messing up because the coaches will overlook you, and move on to the next player.

Speaking of obstacles within the game, Crawford said it can be hard. It’s always good to stay together and stay positive. “One of the most challenging things within the game is staying mentally together. When you get knocked down, you got to get back up. You always have the next play to make something happen.”

As someone who always looks forward to practice and plans on going all the way to the NFL, Crawford said, “Football is what I eat and what I breathe. I love football. Hard work beats talent. While you’re sleeping at 4 a.m. I am working. I am out running routes and lifting weights.”

In terms of preparation, Crawford said, “I pray, hydrate, eat, watch film on the other team, and the players who play the same position as I do.”

Crawford said don’t come onto the team and think it’s all about the game. Your education matters too. You can be a great player but if your grades are falling under a 2.0, you have to get tutoring time for at least 4 hours a week. This would add to an already intense schedule. In addition, the players are randomly drug tested for marijuana, cocaine, molly, and more.

Crawford suggests incoming students who plan on playing a sport here to ask themselves, “Do you really love the sport? If you don’t love the sport why waste your time when you can use that time on your school work, and figuring out what you want to do with your life. So do you really love the sport?”

Dorm Tour

The video “Dorm Tour” gives incoming students a “little” inside look of what one of the nicest dorms (Bramley Hall) on the campus of SUNY Brockport looks like. I hope you enjoy it.

Living the Dorm Life!

Dymani Poyser Photo Taken by me

Many high school students love the idea of being away from home.

Dymani Poyser, a SUNY Brockport student agrees.

“I’ve lived in the worst dorms on campus since my freshman year,” said Poyser.

Poyser said, “Dobson and Mortimer Halls, I think, are the worst dorms on campus. Maintenance never fixes anything on time and the place is very small compared to what people make it out to be.”

Poyser hates the dorms he has chosen but he blames his friends for that because they were the ones who suggested he live with them.

“I would change a lot about the living arrangement. There are bunk beds and the closet door is hanging on by its thread. I’ve had it fixed twice but it’s in shambles. The desks are big which takes a lot of space in such a small room,” said Poyser.

Poyser said, “It would be nice for everyone to have singles, maintenance that works on time, and good heating.”

“Residential Life got me away from being at home, I will always be happy about that, but it’s a crappy living arrangement. But it’s also fun sometimes to see drunk people acting silly and all the shenanigans that takes place in the dorms,” said Poyser.

Poyser does not plan on living on campus next year because, “I have to pay $3,700 a semester and I could pay less off campus. Also, it would be nice not to have somebody looking over my shoulder.”

Poyser believes that incoming freshmen should be aware that the room that they were showed during orientation is not the type of room some students will be living in. 

Being Muslim In College

Diversity is a big topic on college campuses. Everything from racial equality to sensitive language. College campuses are experiencing it all. Omar Agag, a SUNY Brockport student, is Muslim. He gave insight on what It is like to be Muslim in college.

Get It Write.

Photo Taken from http://www.memecenter.com/fun/494279/grammar-nazi-so-what

Students go to the Student Learning Center (SLC) when they need additional support in areas such as math, writing, science, history, psychology, and many more courses.

The SLC is the campus wide centralized tutoring hub.

Elisabeth Meyer Gonzalez, the Assistant Director of the SLC at SUNY Brockport, said, “Sometimes students should expect one on one individual appointments, other times it will be small group tutoring where they can expect other students from their classes.”

Gonzalez said that the SLC helps students with strategies such as study skills, time management, how to be a better note taker, and how to read their textbooks effectively.

“When students come to the SLC, they don’t only find grownups. They will mostly find student tutors who were hired based on faculty recommendation,” said Gonzalez. “Tutors also work with each other. Graduate students make appointments with each other for their writing. It’s the smart kids who know when they need help. Everyone needs help sometimes.”

The faculty at the SLC is always there to help students when they are feeling stressed about doing badly. “Someone is always on hand to lend support,” said Gonzalez.

Tutors make sure that the students make progress. They are thought to do a little teaching, and then have students teach something back to them so the students get the chance to demonstrate what they learned. Tutors test the students and help them make flash cards.

In terms of professionalism, the SLC has a very strict cancellation policy. Habitually missing appointments is not acceptable. (To learn more about the cancellation policy, click on the following: SLC Appointment Policy)

Students get the opportunity to work with really amazing students who are good influences.

Gonzalez advises incoming students, “As soon as they began to struggle in a class, check on their own behaviors, and come in and get help before the problem snowballs. Don’t be afraid or embarrassed to get help because the students who do come in are actually very conscientious and very smart.”

If you ever find your way to Cooper Hall, where the SLC at SUNY Brockport is located, be sure to stop in as Director Michael Dentino, Program Secretary Diana Pask, or Gonzalez will be more than happy to help you.

Diversity on College Campuses

Photo taken from http://www.thetakeaway.org/story/how-close-college-graduation-gap/

Diversity is a big topic for college campuses.

Diversity on a college campus means that campuses are open to people of all persuasions, races and ethnicities, including people with disabilities.

A college official at The State University of New York at Brockport explained, “Diversity means different opinions and a wider portal to the world of ideas. If you have diversity on campus that means that you have diverse opinions and diverse ways of seeing the world.”

“Diversity on campuses is preparing students to be part of an increasingly diverse society and a global society. Meaning that we have people of different races, gender persuasions, religious and spiritual beliefs and people with disabilities,” said the same college official. They implied that these people should not feel that they will be discriminated against.

They also said, “We feel that it’s important as a college to prepare students to be citizens of the world, citizens of not only the campus community but of their surroundings.”

The message of diversity is promoted in a variety of ways at SUNY Brockport. They said, “We have several programs on this campus. One is called LAUNCH. It helps new incoming underrepresented students get acclimated to this campus because as a freshman, it can be overwhelming.”

As a student, college officials do everything to make sure that we are comfortable. And if you’re having bad experiences, they also said, “There’s a counseling department and faculty on campus who do want to help students.”

They advise incoming freshmen to get involved because some students will have negative experiences. However, there are students who do succeed on campuses and they find friends and they make sure they’re part of the activities.

They said, “Some students have to take responsibilities for their own attitudes.”

As the student populations become more diverse, the college official said we still have a long way to go in terms of getting a more diverse faculty.

“This campus is working hard on diversity. We still have work to do in terms of getting more diverse faculty. There are some departments that still need people of color. We’re working very hard on that.”

Regardless of one's position at a school, be it student or teacher, diversity will be a major issue that will impact their experience. 

Have You Networked Today?

Photo Taken from http://blog.peertransfer.com/2013/01/16/5-tips-on-how-to-network-in-college/

College students are not doing enough networking.

They are either too scared or they don’t know how important it is to their future.

Networking is building connections in a specific area. College students usually attend events in order to meet people in said area to exchange contact information, and build the connections needed in their intended field.

Brianna Milon, an undergraduate student majoring in Journalism Broadcasting at SUNY Brockport, says, “I didn’t know how important networking was until I got to college.”

Milon knew she wanted to be more involved in her field but thought the idea of networking was daunting.

She said, “I wanted to start early, even though it was intimidating, because I knew if I didn’t start early the process wouldn’t be as easy and I might feel discouraged later.”

Like many college students, Milon did not know where to start.

“As a college freshman, all the people that I knew were freshmen. They were also clueless. In the beginning it was definitely hard but then I heard a classmate of mine, who wasn’t a freshman, talking about the PR (Public Relations) club here at Brockport and I thought this was my in,” said Milon.

Milon joined the Public Relations club at The College at Brockport and met some amazing people who encouraged her to get a job on campus at 89.1 The Point. Currently, Milon is the Radio Director at the station.

“I attend conferences and any other events that are happening in hopes of meeting new people to build these connections,” said Milon. She continued to say that sometimes professors can also be helpful because they themselves know people in the field who can really help you along the way.

Milon plans on getting an internship on campus next semester to continue building her network.

Milon added, “My advice to incoming freshmen is to start early. Ask questions and don’t be timid because you really want people to know what you are about. Networking is essential to any career path that you plan on taking.”

(Check out these 5 tips on how to network in college)

Need Help? Ask a Librarian.

Photo Taken at SUNY Brockport Library. Photo Credit: Siomara Germain

Freshmen students are sometimes surprised to find out that their college library is not like their high school library.

Wendy Prince, evening library supervisor at Drake Memorial Library at SUNY Brockport, says that students should know that “whatever they want is within their reach” because the library has a lot of databases to help the students.

There are some students on campus who doesn’t know where the library is located. Of this, Prince said, “Stop breaking my heart.” She believes these students does not know where the library is located because it is not located in the central field of campus. “We’re off to the side. I also blame those train tracks in the pathway.”

There are many things that students can do at the library. Prince said, “There are casual readings and movies over the weekend. It’s just something that we encourage the students to do. Something other than drinking.”

According to Prince, there are a lot of computer labs at the library and some students do not seem to be aware of the amount of computers the library has. For the students who are not aware of the resources that the department provides, they should know the library is personalized. Prince said, “The library is not all about the academics. There are some relaxed materials. We provide IPads, books, laptops, phone chargers, and much more.”

However, students should also be aware that if they do not return checked out materials from the library, such as a book, they will be charged. Prince said, “Every book is an automatic $100. If you have a library fine, you can’t register for classes.”

Librarians also help students with their research. “It allows us to show off what the library has and what we can do because people underestimate the job of a librarian. They think I just sit around and read books all day when I do the complete opposite.”

The library may be overwhelming at first, but with the help of librarians, it won’t be among the things that you have to worry about in college.

Don't wait too long!

Photo Taken at SUNY Brockport Rakov Center by me

A lot of students wait too long to get a job on campus. What they also don’t know is that on-campus jobs are hard to find when going away to college.

Adam Standish, who works at Career Services at SUNY Brockport, said students wait too long to find a job on campus. “My advice to any freshmen is to come to Career Services to talk to our Career Counselors.”

According to Standish, when students come to career services, “they have the chance to build their resumes and cover letters.”

Career Services provides online programs. “What that does is match the students up with what they want to pursue. We do that so we make sure that students are happy with that occupation and they get to work in the field they plan on getting their degree in,” said Standish.

Standish said a lot of students work on campus. “There are 2,200 jobs on campus for work study and non-work study combine.”

“The only difference between work study and non-work study is where the money comes from. The departments that have money hire non-work study student. While the departments that don’t have money, get money from the government to hire work-study students. But other than that, the pay is the same,” said Standish.

Some students often complain that there are more jobs based on work-study then non-work study but Standish shook his head and said “That’s not true. 2/3 of the jobs on campus are non-work study and 1/3 of the jobs on campus are work study.”

Standish said that students say that because non-work study jobs are more competitive. “Non-work study jobs are open to all 9,000 students. It gets very hard to get a job when students are competing against 9,000 students.”

Using email as their form of communication, Standish strongly encourages students, especially freshmen students, to come to Career Services as soon as possible, check out their workshops that promotes jobs on campus or look at Eagle Connect for job opportunities. Waiting too long won’t do any good and only makes the process harder. 

If it Doesn't Look Good, Don't Eat it!

Photo Taken From http://vanessalarson.com/2013/03/07/school-cafeteria-food/

“I hate college food.” That’s something you will hear a lot from college students because they do not like the food served in the cafeteria. Chances are, you won’t like it either. By the first week, you will question why you paid $2,225 that semester for a meal plan and you’ll learn to appreciate the good home cooked meals that your parents cook.

Can you get out of your meal plan? Sadly, no. As long as you live on campus, it is mandatory for you to have one, just as it is mandatory to live on campus for the first two years if you’re not commuting.

SUNY Brockport student, Kymesha Reid, does not like the food served in the cafeteria. If she had it her way, she would never step her foot into that building. Reid does not use her meal plan as she should because she finds the food “disgusting.”

“I try my best to eat it, but when they put potato chips in the macaroni and cheese to make it taste better, that’s problematic,” said Reid.

Sometimes the cooks have their good days and serve something edible. Other times, that “Almost Apple Pie” at the salad bar is only “almost” okay. Most of the time, even when it is edible, it still doesn’t look good.

Expect to run out of your dining dollars quickly because you’re only going to go for the fried and greasy food at alternative dining locations instead of what they are serving in the cafeteria. You don't want to starve yourself or keep gaining pounds by eating junk food that is not good for you. (Check out these 10 nutrition tips for college students)

However, if you call your parents and tell them that the cooks are trying to get you fat or kill you with their attempts at a good meal, they’ll transfer at least $50 into your bank account. Or if they are anything like my parents, they’ll make the seven hour drive with containers of your favorite meals that will last you a week.

Remember, if it doesn’t look good, don’t eat it

They Got You!

College. Once you get accepted, what does your bill mean?  

Image taken from www2.cortland.edu

For incoming freshmen you should expect a mandatory meal plan that will be over $2,000. Room and Board, if you stay on campus and are not commuting will be around $3,700 a semester. Tuition will also be over $2,000 if you’re taking more than 12 credits, and of course there are other crazy fees such as student government, athletic fees, student recreation, transportation, etc... Okay, I hope I did not scare you away from the idea of going away to college. But that’s why you should know your resources.

It’s good to prepare beforehand and know your options. There is of course financial aid, loans, and scholarships colleges around the nation provide for students.

During my first semester at SUNY Brockport, I was once informed in class that, “A lot of scholarship money does not go to use because students are not applying for them. They do not want to write an essay and even though they may want to, they often feel like so many other people will be applying to the scholarship as well. So they do not believe that they stand a chance.”

In many cases, if only one student were to apply for a scholarship that scholarship would go to said student even if their essay showed room for growth.

Lastly, as an individual whose planning on attending college soon, the bill will not be the only thing that you have to worry about. Textbooks will be extremely expensive. As a word of caution, know that the bookstore at your school will overprice you. You might spend more than $600 on books at the bookstore when you can spend a lot less on Amazon.com.

Try using Mint, an app that budgets for you and send alerts of any strange purchases or else they got you!