Family Weekend in the Big Apple

This summer my family and I took a weekend vacation to New York City with my aunt and uncle and cousin and another family who are family friends. I was really excited to be going somewhere, even if it was just for a weekend, because each year my family always took a family vacation. That was always a special time for me and created memories that I will always look back on. This year, we stayed in Jersey City at a marina and campground (which was more like a parking lot for campers). What's even more amusing is that there is a nightclub right on the property! It's called The Sand Bar USA. But we did have full hook-ups for water and power, and even a couple TV stations! From where we were we could see the Statue of Liberty and also the financial district across the Hudon in NYC. This picture is the view of the city from the marina.

My favorite part of staying there though was that since we were at a marina, Friday and Saturday nights we just hung out by the dock and watched the people. We watched the nightclub, which on Saturday night was pretty happening! The place can fit 2,000 people, which we found out from some firefighters who swung by on their drive to check it all out. My father and uncle used to be/still are firemen, so they chatted with those from Jersey City. Saturday night there was also a boat party going on on the really nice yacht parked closest to "our" dock, so we also met some cute Coast Guard men who swung by to check out where the noise was coming from. They couldn't give us a lift to the party though because we didn't have life jackets.

:( Next time I'll go prepared!

I had a fabulous time in the city. We only went in for the full day on Saturday (since I needed to go home to work on Sunday night), but it was worth it. Unforunately, the day had a dreary start...literally, because it rained! We began our morning in Times Square, and got a quick Naked Cowboy siting! We decided to take a double decker bus tour for Uptown, and the plan was to hopefully get off at Central Park and spend a lot of time there because they were celebrating the 150th anniversary of Central Park. But just as we were beginning our trip we saw the dark clouds rolling in, and the tour guide quickly passed out cheap-o ponchos, but it was better than nothing! The next thing we know it was downpouring, and even with the ponchos we got soaked! I had water dripping now inside my poncho because my string fell out, and I was sitting next to my uncle whose poncho ripped! Then, by the end of the storm, we had a pond on the floor of the bus, so every time we stopped or accelerated there was a flood of water washing over your feet! It was best to just keep our feet up at all times! But somehow with the water running down my legs, my socks still got soaked! This picture is of my sister and my cousin on the double decker before the rain hit!

By the time we deemed it safe to get off the bus, because we could at least get under cover on the first level of the bus, we had made the complete loop and were back in Times Square. We split up a little, and my family and I headed over to Rockefeller Plaza. Then we all met up again in Hell's Kitchen (yes, the neighborhood of my fellow blogger Kevin!) and had an early dinner at an Italian restaurant. I was exhausted at this point, but I had finally pretty much dried off.

After that we hopped back on the bus, which I must say was much more enjoyable in the sun than in the rain! This time we got off at Central Park and walked around, and I loved it! It was more than I had ever been into Central Park before in my couple trips to the city. It was very classic New York I feel! Lastly, we headed to ground zero before heading back to Jersey City. This is where I haggled for a new, fake Coach purse! I had been to ground zero a couple years after 9/11, but it was pretty incredible to see the slow rebuilding process. They are planning to open the Freedom Towers in 2012, the year the incoming class will be graduating!

Speaking of Stonehill...each fall the Trip Committee of Student Government Association plans a trip to NYC, and I'd definitely recommend taking advantage of the trip, especially if you've never been before!

For me, it's now way past my bedtime, because tomorrow I am moving back in at Stonehill for a week for Fall Orientation. I will be filling you in soon on move in and such! Can't wait to see all my Stonehill loves this weekend!

How to Pack Your Life into a Dorm Room

So a lot of Orientation kids, members of this year's incoming class at Stonehill, have been asking me questions about what to bring to campus when they move in. I remember how daunting this task was when I moved away from home from the first time, so this blog is meant to help you out! I only hope this isn't coming too late, since move-in is less than two weeks away! (And, let me tell you, the Orientation Team is so excited to be going back and seeing you all again so soon!) Here's a look at all of my things packed and ready to go the night before I moved into Stonehill two years ago:

I was a mess the day I moved into college. I was a bundle of nerves, excitement, sadness, and happiness...so it kind of led me to be a little stressed that day. Parents...be patient with your kids as they decide how everything is going to be set up. And collegiates...don't worry, you can always move things around throughout the year! Here are a couple pictures of the mess in my room in O'Hara freshman year when I moved in:

Ok, so let's get started. I feel like there's always lots to bring, plus I always overpack ;), and I'm a girl, so I also bring things like lots of clothes, shoes, jewelry, make-up, etc. etc. But here's what you may want to keep in mind:

You definitely need linens, get the extra long linens, all the Residence Halls have those extra long dorm beds. You'll need a blanket and a comforter of course, and I've found one with a surface that's easy to clean is nice, cause you kind of end up living on your bed. An important investment is a comfortable mattress pad. With a comfortable mattress covering, dorm mattresses are pretty comfortable! Also, a husband pillow, or something like that, is great for reading and doing work on your bed, because sometimes there's just not enough extra room in a dorm room for a comfy chair. Bed risers are also really helpful, because then you can create more storage room under your bed. Here's a look at my room in O'Hara, plus my roommate Katrina and friend Emma (who lived across the hall).

Under the bed, and above the closets are two great storage spaces, so I would say to bring good storage cases for those spots. Having shelving and storage space in general is helpful. Having a hanging shoe rack for the closet is great. Think about storage for food, extra clothes, especially winter clothes before it gets cold, and extra whatevers (movies, books, extra notebooks and paper, all those whatnots - and I know from experience that girls tend to bring those to college more than guys do!) Depending on the dorm you are in you may want shelving for the books you have for classes. I know that Boland has lots of shelving space (and also the second floor of O'Hara for girls), but I'm not so sure that the rooms in any of the other freshman dorms do have that built in space. Shelving units that sit on a desk and go up are usually really great. In terms of garments, a pair of rain boots and an umbrella are important to remember too. When it rains on Stonehill the Quad tends to get pretty wet, so boots are great. I got a cute and cheap pair from Target!

Also, I'm not sure if guys would want this or not but I'm pretty sure girls will...if you like having a full length mirror, O'Hara and Boland do not have those (the other dorms do have them in the closets.) Curtains are also something to consider, but for extra things that aren't a necessity, you can always wait on those things and decide after you move in. That way you can check measurements for curtains too! It's always good just to have lots of sticky stuff to put up posters, pictures of family and friends from home, and things in general on the walls. Just make sure it's not duct tape, that's not allowed. Masking tape is fine, but it doesn't last long, so the special sticky stuff made just for walls is best. And those plastic hooks that have the sticky stuff built in are great for hanging things like towels and coats. I think it's the 3M brand that is really good and has those hooks. A hanger that goes over the door is also really convenient for those same things. Mostly everyone also gets those little whiteboards to put on their doors so friends can leave messages when they stop by and you're not around.

You'll probably want a desk lamp, especially if you think you'll be the kind of person doing a lot of work in your room rather than the library. It's also nice to have a standing lamp or something like that so you don't have to have your big overhead lights on all the time. All of the dorms have carpets, so you don't need to worry about bringing a carpet for a tile floor or anything like that. I'd say definitely bring a fan. A small, compact one is fine. I really liked having a fan, and I actually put it on every night, even in the winter! I actually just really liked the fan for it's sound factor. It was perfect for blocking out noisy hallways on weekend nights. Here's a picture of Katrina (yup, the same one from freshman year!) and I moving into our triple one year ago. Last year I lived in Villa Theresa. The rooms there are big enough to accomodate even a voluntary triple like us! The last couple pictures here are more pictures of my room in Villa, so you can get an idea of one of those rooms.

Think about the little things, like a trash can, and clothes hangers. Something to carry your soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc. in that you can carry to the bathroom and shower is very important. You also NEED flip flops or something for the shower...you don't want any foot fungus. :) Remember, you are going to Stonehill for classes, so you still need notebooks, pens, pencils, highlighters, sticky notes, stapler, etc. - whatever you like using. Also, a planner is key! Also, a calendar is nice, but what I've been doing is just printing free monthly calendars from online and using that to keep track of long term assignments and events. But I really like having an agenda to go by day to day.

An alarm clock is key! Don't want to miss those 8:30s! I have my iHome, which is nice to wake me up in the morning, but we also listen to music on it at night. A computer is very important - the key to modern college life! This is something that I wish I had known before...the internet cable I got with my laptop didn't work! I need an ethernet cord in order to get on the internet, and on the day of move-in the bookstore was selling them, but it was packed there because everyone was there buying ethernet cords! It is also important to have extension cords, and one of those power strips, we are a world of electricity! Mostly everyone brings a laptop rather than a desktop. I would also suggest having a printer. I just like the convenience of it, but printing is free on campus, so you don't really NEED it if you don't want it. (I just wanted it.) I'd say bring a TV too, that way you can watch the shows you like without having to bum off your friends, but it's been done. A DVD player and movies are great for quiet nights in. I'd say my friends and I used it a lot more for gatherings my freshman year than we did this past year. You can have a fridge as well. You can have as many fridges in a room as there are roommates. But one fridge is plenty for two people. This past year I was in a triple and we had two, and that was pretty nice for us. I'd suggest getting a Brita filter to keep filled with water in your fridge. The past two years I kept stocking up on water bottles for my room, but I finally got a Brita, and in the long run it will save you a lot of money! And it helps the environment!

The things you can't have are a microwave, but there's a kitchen (or two or three) in every Res Hall with one that you can use. You can't bring pets...but you can bring fish! You also need to make sure that heating things, if you choose to bring them (and this is more so with girls with curling irons and straighteners), are automatic shut off! Some RAs will check to make sure that they are, to keep everyone safe.

I'd say don't bother with things like a vacuum cleaner or an iron. I have a dust buster that I sometimes use, if you want to get anything like that I'd say that a dust buster is plenty. But I know my hallway this past year had a common vacuum cleaner that we all shared. And invest in perhaps some of that Febreeze anti-wrinkle spray, I haven't tried it...but I kind of want to, rather than an iron. Which reminds me...having Lysol is great, especially for cold and flu season. And keep some Purell on your desk too! Febreeze freshener spray is nice, but it doesn't have antibacterial power. As for dishes, it's good to have a couple knives, forks, and spoons, and a bowl and a plate. Having maybe two cups and a mug for hot chocolate and tea is good too. In that case, dish soap and a sponge are needed to clean that. But plastic cups and paper plates work too. Paper towels are important, we do still spill in college! A hamper for laundry you need of course...and I'd say get one that you can carry up and down stairs easily in case you aren't on the same floor as your laundry room. For laundry detergent, I like the ALL Small and Mighty ones, cause they are smaller, which means less weight and less space. One thing that I didn't think about until the first time I did laundry is a drying rack. I have certain shirts and sweaters that I don't like to put in the dryer, so that's helpful.

One more piece of advice...contact your roommate and then you can split up the big ticket items, like TV and fridge and then you can share.

Whew! That may have been more than you thought you would get from reading this blog, but once I get started I tend to not be able to stop! I hope this helped! But if you have any questions still, or any specific question about a dorm in particular, feel free to ask me!

"And I Never Wanted Nothing More"

Ok, I’ll admit it…I’m a country music fan! And I’m really lucky because I was able to get this past Saturday off to go to the New England Country Music Fest at Gillette Stadium for the third summer in a row. The Country Fest has become a family thing over the past few years, including the location of my cousin’s wedding proposal to his wife, and the anniversary of their wedding day. This Christmas, my mom gave my sister and I tickets, and we made plans to go with my parents, my aunt and uncle, my cousin, and my cousin and his wife (the one who proposed at the Country Fest a few years ago).

Every year the Country Fest is an experience like no other. The people are crazy, but it’s always fun and we can get some good laughs. This year the worst part of the day was sitting in traffic. It took us three hours, rather than the usual forty five minutes, to get to the stadium. But while we were in traffic we still got to people watch. There are cars with “We love Kenny” painted on the windows, music blaring, people lighting grills in the back of their pick-up trucks, people getting out of their cars to find a bathroom or to just go in the woods, and sometimes people with extra “people” with them. Yeah, some things nobody seems to understand.

And we rode in style in our camper, which makes the tailgating experience pretty nice. We joined the party in the parking lots once we were parked, and quickly set up our tent, and started cooking our kielbasa, steak wrapped in bacon, chicken wings, and more. Our spot was right across from the Corona Party Bus, whose occupants were blasting the tunes, mostly country, all day long. It was a fun spot though because we got to have some dance parties. Parked next to us was a bus full of people from Toronto. My new friend Charles insisted on dancing with me to “Don’t Stop Believing” and he also introduced me to his hockey-player friend, and made sure I got his autograph!

We went into the concert in the middle of the set by Sammy Hagar (yes, from Van Halen), and I didn’t know any of his songs. My family and I agreed he wasn’t the best, but I guess he is a friend of Kenny Chesney’s and that’s why he was there.

Next up was Keith Urban, and I loved him! He was awesome on the guitar and put on a really great show with a lot of older, popular songs, but also some new ones.

Finally it was time for Kenny Chesney to perform! Because of the past three years, the Kenny concert is the epitome of summer to me. His music takes on a very tropical and summertime feel (“It’s a sip of wine, it’s summertime”), and being outside in the midst of the crowd, with the warm weather, lights flashing across the people, beach balls bouncing above our heads, and screams for Kenny coming from every direction…I know these memories will take me back to my college summers for years to come.

Kenny loves Boston and loves to come perform at Gillette every year. He always performs his song “Boston” at his Gillette concerts but no where else; it’s a nice tradition. This summer he had some Patriots and Red Sox players, including Teddy Bruschi, Tim Wakefield, and Jacoby Ellsbury, singing on stage with him! The crowd went wild to see our Boston icons. I really enjoyed the concert, “and I never wanted nothing more” than to be enjoying the summer in such special ways.

Stonehill Reunion in Upstate New York

My first vacation of the summer was this past weekend. My friend, Kait, who is living at Stonehill for an internship this summer, and I made the four hour road trip up to Queensbury, New York to visit a couple other friends from school. Kait and I stayed with our friend Carrie, whose parents graciously opened up their home to us. A trip to upstate New York would not have been complete without including Kathleen, my roommate from last year, who is from Clifton Park. Kathleen came and joined Kait and I in “the Q.” Here's a picture of the three visitors:

Our weekend began with a lovely summer dinner with Carrie’s parents, and a quick outing into Lake George (at my request) so we could get some Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. And that was a good idea if I do say so myself; the ice cream was yummy! Back at Carrie’s house, her friends came over for a pool party and campfire. It was fun to meet a friend’s other group of friends; not to mention the new Facebook friends I had a couple days later!

The next morning we had a light breakfast of fruit and crepes, and then headed out with a smaller group of Carrie’s friends to go kayaking on the Hudson River. Kait and I were a little nervous because we aren’t used to being so outdoorsy, but Carrie’s friends were so helpful, except for one thing. I was wearing my clothes over my bathing suit in the kayak, and they decided I should get flipped over. So not once, but twice, during the trip I got flipped into the Hudson! It was all in good fun though, and I enjoyed kayaking. The worst part was being sore for two days from the extra exercise that my arms aren’t used to.

The scariest part of kayaking was our destination. We kayaked out to a rope swing that hangs off of a tree over the Hudson. We all swung from the rope and landed in the river. I only jumped a couple times though because hitting the water from such a height kind of stings the skin. I even ended up with a pretty dark bruise on my leg from holding onto the rope! Rope swinging was something I’ve never done before, and I’m always up for trying new things and being a little adventurous. I don't know if you will believe it or not, but this picture is of me on the rope swing!

Saturday night, Carrie, Kathleen, Kait, and I got dressed up and went to dinner in Saratoga. It was kind of funny, because even without planning it we all chose to wear white pants. (It must have been a Stonehill thing.)

We had a yummy dinner at a little international place. Then walked through the park in Saratoga, and had a laugh because while we were all drinking from the springs that taste more like dirty pipe than water, Kait dropped her camera into the urn with all the pipes for the springs! We had to ask someone for help to get it out! Here I am drinking from the springs:

We also posed for more pictures during our walk through the park. We think this will make a lovely Christmas card picture!

We also had to pose in front of one of the painted horses:

And we rode the carousel! I felt like I was a young kid again. But I also felt like I will be friends with these girls for a long time to come.

Saturday night we had another campfire with the new friends we went kayaking with during the day.

Sunday morning we were going to take a hike, but we woke up and it was raining! So instead we went out for a big, yummy brunch, which was totally fine with me after kayaking the day before!
It was a really nice weekend get-away. And I really enjoyed spending the weekend with a few friends from school. The friendships that I have made at Stonehill are one of my favorite things about Stonehill. I wouldn’t have believed two years ago that it would be my college friends and not my high school friends that I will stay close with over the years, but now I can understand why so many people told me that. I’m extremely lucky though because I am still friends with my classmates from high school, but now I have even more friends from Stonehill.