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All responses Most smiled responses
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Thanks for the question and I'm sorry it took this long to get to it.
As a senior, getting into courses really isn't all that difficult. The way our course registration works is by rank. It goes Senior, Junior, Sophomore, Freshman. Seniors go first and have the best chance of getting into courses.
I've only heard of a few seniors having problems getting their courses. This usually amounts in popular courses that seniors might need in order to graduate (if you plan it out right it shouldn't be a problem. Also there are plenty of courses to choose from). This could also amount to a senior not understanding what they need to graduate. If you plan it all accordingly, you shouldn't have problems getting into courses and if you use your advisor properly, they should help you keep on track.
I guess that's about it. If you have further questions, don't hesitate to send them my way. With that, have a good one! -
Hey hey,
I'm gonna be honest with you on this one. I'm not positive if students can join the task force without being first asked to join. I know some students have been on the task force before, but they usually were there as a representative of a group or organization on campus.
If students can join it, the man to talk to would be Jeff Vincent, who is the head of the Alcohol Task Force and an Associate Director of Residence Life.
All right, I guess that's it for me tonight. If you have any additional questions, you know where to find me. -
I've been a member of A-Team since Freshman year and worked as a President for 1.5 of those years. A-Team was a group that worked to encourage students to be responsible with alcohol. We had a small budget that we used to put on social and educational programs for students (mostly social) and our events were usually pretty successful. A lot of students loved the events we put on and when I was President, students would ask me when A-Team's next event would be.
However, I was forced to disband A-Team at the end of last year. I really loved being President of A-Team and working to promote alcohol responsibility on campus, but it couldn't last. Students loved coming to our events, but didn't seem to be interested in helping put them on and many of my members graduated or moved onto other activities on campus. It also became difficult to recruit new members, as many students confused A-Team with the Alcohol Task Force, which is another group on campus that does not share the same ideals as A-Team. The Task Force takes a understandably tough stance on drinking on campus, where the A-Team believed that alcohol was acceptable when used in moderation. Because of the difficulty of keeping/gaining members and that I couldn't continue on my own, I was forced to shut down A-Team.
I think most students on campus understand the importance of Alcohol Responsibility, so I'm not troubled by the disbanding. If students are interested in recreating A-Team, it is more than possible to start it up again. It just requires a few ambitious students and a little guidance. If anyone is interested, I am more than happy to aid in whatever way I can. -
asked by rahtanakul
You're sweet Tarah, Thank you.
Even if I could, I don't think I would want to stop geeking out. It's so much more fun. -
Absolutely. Well, I give change when I have change and I don't usually carry change which is really unfortunate for the homeless. I might have some change in my pocket if I buy something, but that's about it.
In all honesty, I'm a college student. I really don't have what you might call "disposable income." I'm lucky if I've got a five dollar bill in my wallet at any given time. -
Hey hey,
I'm gonna tell you a secret about college life. Are you ready? Everyone procrastinates in college. It's just a way of life and everyone has to adjust to it.
Here's another secret, there is no one way to make you not procrastinate. If you want to procrastinate, you are going to find a way to do it. Especially with the beautiful outdoors, roommates, video games, TV and the internet, you will find something other than work to occupy your time.
That's not what you wanted to hear, but I'm Dan. I'm not gonna leave you hanging because I'm just that awesome. Here are a few ideas.
1) Write everything down. Even if it's on a piece of paper of on your cell phone, write your assignments down. That way, it's harder to mess it up and procrastinate if you definitely know something is due.
2) Know what's important. Most students can whip off a one page paper pretty easily and you probably could use a bit of procrastination. However, there are some assignments that require additional planning. The trick is knowing what is important and what you need to do to succeed. If that means you need to go to the library immediately after class, then go.
3) Grow a backbone. Your assignments must get done so get them done. If that means you disappear in the library for a while, then suck it up and disappear into the library. If your friends really want to go out and play football, but you have a huge assignment to get done, you sit your butt down and get to it.
In all honesty, that's really all I got. Willpower is everything when it comes to procrastination, and when you are in the thick of it, you figure out what works best for you. College makes you grow and adapt, and you figure out how to deal with a lot of things in life. That includes how to deal with procrastination.
Don't worry. You will find what you need to succeed.
If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask. You know where to find me. -
Hey hey,
It takes a little while to get there on foot. I think maybe 40 minutes but I'm not positive about that. I know students tend to use bikes to get there too and that cuts the time in half.
Personally, I would just take the bus. It's completely free for SMC students so there's no downside.
Another great question. Keep them coming. -
In short, I have no definite plans for life after St. Mike's.
I wouldn't mind going to Grad School. I'm even considering staying here at SMC for Grad School. I wouldn't mind getting a job either. That would be cool too. I really feel suited for a lot of different jobs, not just teaching, so I'm really just seeing what's out there right now. I kind of want someone to just come out and tell me what to do, but we'll see if that happens.
I really don't know what life has in store for me after Saint Michael's. I've had a few meetings with Donna Atwater over in the Office of Career Development. I feel confident that I'll figure something out, but only time will tell.
Thanks for the question. Keep them coming!! -
Absolutely.
First, come and visit us during the winter. The best way to see exactly what you'll have to deal with is not by reading it in my blog (although that isn't a bad idea). It's by going on a tour when it's all nice and cold and snowy out. Usually, that means January or February.
Second, I believe that everyone is different. Everyone has different tolerances and some people can take things that other's can't. Some people need to bundle themselves up as much as possible when even the smallest flurry shows up. Some people stay in shorts and t-shirts all year long (really. I've seen it). I wouldn't recommend that for people from tropical climates, but it's an option.
However, I do believe that the following is always a good idea.
You should have a nice warm coat. You can really use anything you want, but a few that come to mind are Marmot, North Face, Merrell, something like that. I guarantee any ski or snowboard jacket would be fine. I prefer something with a hood of some sort, but that's really up to you. You definitely want something that will keep you warm, but also keep you dry at the same time.
You should also have boots. Flip flops and sandals are great, but they do nothing in the winter. Same with heels of any kind. Get some boots. Once again, it's whatever your comfortable with.
Wearer beware: you may fall down no matter what you wear, but I think it's much easier to do so in heels. I haven't actually done so myself, but I've seen ladies try it and some end up on their butt.
Heat escapes via the head pretty easily, so some would say a hat is required. Any hat would do, but I personally am not a hat person. I personally feel this part is optional.
I think gloves can be pretty useful. I have a pair of old gloves that I've used for years that work pretty well. You could use mittens as well if that's your thing. You could always just stick your hands in your pockets too.
That's all I can think of right now. I'm sure you could use all sorts of things, but what matters the most is what is most useful to you. If you aren't going to wear a hat, then don't buy a hat. If you can't stand wearing gloves, then don't wear them. It's all about what you are comfortable in. It that means you wear a hoodie, scarfs, or your entire ski outfit, then do it.
Although I wouldn't recommend going to class in your entire ski outfit. I think that might be a little bit overkill.
If you've got additional questions or need more about this, don't hesitate to ask. You know where to find me. -
I'd love to talk about that.
In all honesty, it's actually a fairly simple process. The first step is you have to get the idea down on paper. You have to have a good idea of what you want your group to do. For example, A-Team was originally part of another group that dealt with a lot of different ideas. However, we weren't happy with some of the rules placed on us and, in the best interests of our members and the student body, decided to separate. We created A-Team to fix a problem.
And that's something else. Once you know what your group wants to do, you need to make sure someone else isn't already doing it. If the goals of your group is exactly the same as another, then you probably won't become a club.
After all that's set, you have to get people together. You can get as many as you wish, but there must be at least 15 people. Once you have that support, come together and write up your constitution. That's basically a booklet that outlines everything your group stands for. That includes everything from your goals, how will the club be run, how will you decide who is running it, things like that.
The next step is the hard part for some groups. You now have to go in front of the Student Association and present your case. Talk with the Executive Board and make sure they are ready for you. There are certain requirements you need to meet and once you show them it, they'll give you the green light and a date. Then, all you have to do is create a presentation and present it to the Student Association.
If you do a good job, then you'll become a SMC Club and have a budget of your own.
That's about it. I know it seems like a lot but it's really not the big a deal if you really want it. If you have any further questions, or questions about anything else, then you know where to find me. -
It depends a great deal on your class year. A first year student may have a harder time getting into some courses than a senior.
The courses that fill up quickly tend to be the weird courses or the courses that are new and unique. There is almost always just one session per semester of these courses. For example, I took a course called Medieval Islam last semester. The course had never been offered before, so a lot of students tried to get in and it was hard for myself, a Junior, to get into the course.
There are more seats available to introductory courses, but they can get filled up really quickly too. These courses are often required as an LSR for all students, so everyone will have to take them at some point. There are also multiple sections taught each semester for most of these. They can be difficult to get in, but there are so many options that you'll find something.
By the way, Course Registration happens in waves. It goes from Seniors, Juniors, Sophomores, and First Years. Each class is randomly divided into groups and assigned a day to register. They can only register on that day. There are also open days after the regular ones where people can register for classes.
That's about it from me. Catch you later! -
Hey hey everybody!
First, I will reinforce the idea that a campus tour is a definite. If there is anyway to get yourself up here, then you should do it. Tours give you a new look that the website and other places can't give you, so if you can, give us a visit. Sitting in on classes is a great idea too. I've taken a lot of students into classes and it's a great way to meet other students. It's also awesome because you get to see an actual class in session. It's pretty awesome, not mandatory, but always a good idea.
Second, visit us multiple times. In all honesty, I visited campus 7 times before I finally decided that SMC was the right place for me. I saw it through a few different lenses, and the biggest lens was the season. I saw SMC during the winter, spring, and fall. I got to see it change and see a lot of neat things. However, if you only had to visit us once, I would suggest doing it in the winter. It's really the most trying part of the year for students, so it's best to see it before you come and aren't ready for it.
Third, participate in blogger chats and ask questions. It's the best way to know what's going on and what campus is like because you get to talk with a current SMC student all about it. That is the time to ask the questions you really want to ask and get immediate response. Plus, you get to talk with me. What more could you ask for?
I'm sure there are are other things you could do, but I can't think of any right now. If I think of any, I'll send them your way, but I guess I'll catch you next time. -
The summer reading for first year seminars changes every year.
But in my case, we read a short story called Babette's Feast. It was written by Isak Dinesin, which is the pen name for Karen Blixen. The short story was turned into a movie as well.
It's this awesome story about two sisters that took in a woman named Babette to work in their house. Babette was sent there by a French Opera singer who claimed Babette was an outcast during the revolution in Paris.
The two sisters are the religious leaders of the town. Their father created the town so that his followers would have a place to live and worship. The town is somewhat stuck up, with most, if not all, people completely devoted to the religion. They don't show much emotion and they don't show a great deal of pleasure with things.
When Babette arrives, she doesn't have much with her. She does have a lottery ticket, which someone back in France renews for her every year. The two sisters are eager to find out about her life in France, but she doesn't explain anything. Eventually, she wins the lottery and gets 10,000 francs. She then informs the sisters that she wishes to throw them all a feast.
I won't go on any further, in case someone wants to read it. It's a good short story and I learned a lot about myself and my self expression through that short story.
The point of the summer reading is to give you something to enrich your experience at Saint Mike's. When you read this book or that story, the professors will use that to help bring you in closer to the SMC community.
Awesome. If you need anything, or have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. I'll get right on it. -
The only people who could tell you what is/isn't appropriate is the board of Professors who are reviewing your major. The Create-a-Major program (not it's actual name but I like it) at Saint Michael's College is exactly what it sounds.
If you are interested in something, but we don't have it, you can create it. It is a long and exhausting process, but you can do it if you want to. It basically starts with you realizing that you can combine a whole bunch of courses currently offered at SMC that encompass multiple different majors. Then, if you can prove that the major is relevant and that the courses you choose will lead to further understanding, you can create your own major.
I don't believe I've actually met someone who used the Create-a-Major program, but I know it's been used before. However, I have been told it's a lot of paperwork and a lot of meetings as a lot of people need to be informed and a lot of people need to understand exactly why you are creating the major. Sometimes, students create majors that are basically already used at SMC, so they might be denied for that reason. Sometimes, students create majors that just seem like a random assortment of classes, so that might be denied.
However, if you can find a group of courses which suit your needs, then I encourage you to start the process when you get to SMC. Of course, we also have a great number of Majors, Minors, and programs for you to choose from.
I would recommend investigating them before creating your own major. As I have said, it's a lot of work and I'd hate for you to start going through the process, only to find that you are really interested in something else or that it's already covered on campus. -
I'm one of those people who loves to look back and reflect. I like to think deep about my situation, how I got there, and all the things I would do differently.
In all honesty, I wasn't very active back in High School. I didn't do a great deal. I played on my Tennis Team (though not really well in all honesty) and I randomly became the Class Communication Officer for the Senior Class (I really just sent emails and announced birthdays). I also helped out for certain events like Parents Night, Blood Drives, and things like that, but those didn't happen all too often. In my mind, I don't think I was all that active.
But then I came here, and that all changed. I started randomly joining groups. For example, I joined the Student Association, the Founder's Society, A-Team, Celtic Knights (only for Fall Semester), and it seemed like I was on everyone's email list. I don't know if something awakened in me when I stepped onto campus, or maybe it was campus itself, but I got active. Actually, a little too active but that's a different story.
There's something missing from that list that I've always regretted. I joined one MOVE group, Best Buddies, for a couple years and I loved being a part of it. But I never got involved with MOVE again. There were and are so many MOVE programs that I think sound so awesome, but because of my schedule, my hands are tied.
If I could do something differently, I would become much more active in MOVE programs. Without a doubt, 100%. If given a second pass at my undergrad, I might decide to change a few other things, but that's all just deep thought. -
That's a unique question. I've had to think hard about this one.
First, I think a visit to campus is always a great idea. Unless there is absolutely no way to get out here, and that does happen, then the blogs/virtual tour will have to do. To get to our interactive tour, go here: http://www.smcvt.edu/tour/default.asp .
Second, the best way I can think of is visiting the various department pages. They include what each major/department stand for and what the requirements for each major/minor is. It also provides links to faculty for each department, usually with email/phone numbers and sometimes links to webpages for some of the them. They don't all have webpages, but you may find interesting information.
Third, if you're really interested in hearing about how professors run their class, then maybe you should ask the professor. You can find their email addresses and phone numbers online, so if you have a specific question, then that might be the best way to go. However, you must understand that professors are busy and it might take them a while to get back to you. There are some that don't really deal with prospective students, and might shoot it over to admissions. If you really want to go to the source, then that maybe how you deal with it.
I'd like to thank you for that question, whoever you are. I've never heard that question before and it definitely got me thinking hard about the best answer. If you have any further questions, feel free to send them in. -
I've never heard of anyone doing such a thing, but I have heard of something similar. A friend of mine, if I remember correctly, is a math and physics double major. I know, that's only a DOUBLE major, but he's also in the Secondary Education Licensure program, which isn't technically a major despite it being treated like one. It has just as much work, if not more, than other majors, but it just doesn't have the program.
Now, the question remains, would you want to do something like that? I think you can do it, but you would have to do a ton of extra work. For example, you would have to knock off all of your Liberal Studies Requirements during the summer session. You also won't have nearly as much time for extracurriculars or for just relaxing.
If it's what you really want to do, then go for it. It's a lot more work, but if you can handle it, then do it. I would recommend checking out the requirements of each of the three majors and mapping it out. See what course you would have to take when and if you can find a way to do it, then go ahead. If it's physically impossible, then maybe think about a minor instead.
Minors are perfectly good and most students go through college with at least one of them. If you can't triple major, then double major with a minor. Either way, do what you feel. -
This story starts a long time ago in a place far, far away. Connecticut.
When I was first looking into colleges, I wasn't interested in Saint Mike's. My mum had gone here (class of 76), and I was being a brat and just flat refusing to even consider it. However, a lot of people were saying that I should apply/check it out, so I caved in and I decided to give it a shot.
My mum was convinced that Saint Mike's was the right school for me, she would accept anywhere I decided to go, but she and everyone else seemed to say that it was a great fit for me. I decided to check it out, not really because I wanted to at the time, but because I wanted to appease all those people and start making the choice myself.
So, we started looking at colleges and we checked out SMC. At first, I was on the fence. I liked SMC, but I didn't know what I wanted. I went on a few more tours (seven to be exact) and did a few day visits. Even an overnight, and I realized something.
I loved Saint Michael's College. Between the beautiful small campus, the nice people I met during my time, and their awesome ED program, I found where I wanted to go.
And that's the story. -
I can see it now, " Hold on a sec, my dryer just texted me." At this time, the Laundry/Drying machines, conveniently located in each Residence Hall, do not have the ability to alert you when your laundry is done. With the exception of a loud buzzing noise. It tells you how many minutes are left and you can just plan to come back and pick them up then.
As for the best time, it really depends on you and the other people in the hall. Everyone in the residence hall has to share the same washers/dryers. Sometimes, you'll find no one's using them. Sometimes, you'll find a line waiting for the next one. You'll need to explore when you get here and find the best time that fits into your schedule. -
They offer a number of different services, all of which are designed to give you an edge outside of college. These include resume workshops (Chris Clary is a resume wizard), test preparation, and even help finding out what you want to do with your life and how to get there. The office is really useful, especially because they have tons of contacts to help get you the best job possible. They also send out a lot of job requests, so when people in the general area are hiring, they email the Career Center. They then send each offer to us.
I have used them. I received test prep to get me ready for my Praxis, my resume was ripped to shreds and put back together better than ever, and I have started meeting with a counselor discuss what I want to do after college. They are worth every penny and even a couple more. I HIGHLY suggest that anyone use them when they become a student because they are your biggest ally in this big world.
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Loading...Dan Ozimek’s Bio
I'm a Senior at Saint Michael's College in VT. Ask me anything!!
