This is a warning to all of my professors that might read my blog…I have severe senioritis. Symptoms include,  a disinterest in school work, a steady loss of concentration and an extreme urge to just hang out with your friends and not accomplish anything on your “to do” list. I had it when I was a senior in high school and now I have it even worse. Don’t get me wrong, I have no interest in graduating quite yet. If I could I would remain a professional student for four more years. But unfortunately, that is not a realistic goal.  I just have to get myself back into the swing of things. Keep in mind that I was abroad last semester working a 9-5 job so I am not used to the school schedule even though it is already the second week of school.

Other than my complete lack of motivation, things are going really well. I am really excited for next Wednesday because it is the first distinguished speaker lecture of the year. To kick off the distinguished speakers series this year is Kofi Annan. Mr. Annan is the former secretary general of the United Nations. As an international politics student, I could not have chosen a better speaker.  Hearing him speak is an amazing opportunity!! Not to mention it was free for me to get in! (Love those UB cards). Last night I went to a program with my fellow blogger Lynlee. The program was called “To Write Love on Her Arms” and it is part of the Suicide Prevention Week series that is happening this week. It was a really amazing program and if you have a chance you should check out their website for more information. (www.twloha.com)

So far this three day weekend has been really amazing. Friday evening was the first training for UB STARS. It was a great opportunity to meet the new STARS as well as reconnect with the people I haven’t seen all summer. If I haven’t mentioned it before, UB STARS is the student recruiter unit of the office of admissions. It is our job to go back to our high school and explain our experiences at UB to prospective students. We also work at Fall Open House (which is October 17th) and Discovery Days.

Saturday was a very busy day. Saturday morning, like I said in my earlier blog, I helped with Saturday morning VUB (visit UB). Saturday is one of our most popular days to come for a tour. I think it is the best time because campus is pretty quiet (obviously because no college student wakes up before 10 o’clock on Saturday morning!). The Saturday tours are the same as the weekday tours which includes a tour of the entire academic spine and a sample dorm room along with a presentation about UB by one of the admissions advisors.

After tour check in it was necessary for me to take a nice long nap to prepare for Fall Fest. There was a carnival before Fall Fest but my nap was very important and unfortunately we missed the carnival which I heard was a ton of fun. Fall Fest was AWESOME! If you don’t know what Fall Fest is, it is a big concert that happens every Fall outside (as long as it doesn’t rain) at Baird Point. It is free for undergrad students with your UB Card. This year’s line up was Common, Lupe Fiasco, Jadakiss and Busta Rhymes. I went to the concert with one of my roommates and a few other friends. There was a pretty big line once we got there and we missed both Jadakiss and Busta Rhymes but we got into the concert just in time for Common’s performance. Common was amazing! He kept the crowd hyped up as he preformed and everyone I was with was dancing during the entire set. It was a ton of fun! After Common, Lupe Fiasco performed and was just as amazing.

I can’t write this blog without mentioning the amazing game that the UB football team played yesterday (Saturday) against UTEP. They did an amazing job and won the game 23-17. Good job guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Our first home game is coming up next Saturday against Pitt—GO BULLS!!!!

As crazy as it seems…yesterday was the first day of classes. It felt like summer didn’t even happen that’s how quickly it flew by. It is a little strange to be back in class after spending a semester working a 9-5 internship. It is really nice though to be back at UB and I’m sure within the next two weeks I’ll get back into the routine of going to class everyday. It’s really sad though because it is my last first day of school. I will never again get the nervous/excited feeling that I get right before the first day of school after summer break.

The month of September is going to be super busy. I have lots of personal and school things going on. This Friday is the first SRU (student recruiter unit) training. I also had the first Leadership House peer mentor meeting and we have been planning for the leadership retreat that is coming up. I also have a lot of busy weekends that I am very excited about. This upcoming weekend it the first weekend for Saturday morning tours of the University. All of the student assistant help with morning check in and this Saturday is my day to do the check in.

It is also the Chicken Wing Festival this weekend!!! Obviously as someone who loves to eat (especially chicken wings) I am really excited for it! The Chicken Wing Festival happens in downtown Buffalo in Coca Cola Field (which is the Bison Stadium (our baseball team)). A ton of different local Buffalo vendors sell samples of their finest (spiciest) wings along with crazy concoctions likes Buffalo Wing Mac and Cheese. It is a lot of fun and a lot of eating.

My class schedule seems very doable this year and I am exciting for all of my classes. We’ll see how the second day goes…so far so good.

There are a ton of people on campus! I loooove it! There is a strange energy at the beginning of school- students are excited because classes are going to start. New students are moving in. Lots of new beginnings are happening.

I remember back when I first moved into Governors (the dorm I lived in as a freshman). I was so exciting (and stressful) moving in all of my stuff. Luckily, my parents were by my side helping me move in all of my stuff. I was so excited to meet my roommate and see the room I would be spending the next year in. I was also so excited to actually start college. Not to mention I was super nervous about leaving my comfortable small town and coming to a university where I literally didn’t know a single person here. Within the first day of moving into my dorm building I was making friends with people that lived on my floor. It also didn’t hurt that my roommate and I got along really well (we are still really close friends).

I am really excited/ nervous for the year to begin because there is so much going on this year and so much to look forward too…only four more days till classes start…..

As the year begins (only a week left till classes start) there is a ton of stuff that I have to get done. Aside from restocking on school supplies and other random stuff, I have to get my books, sign up for my GRE and just prepare myself for the upcoming semester. The beginning of the semester also means that I am one semester is closer to graduating which is absolutely terrifying.

The GRE is my biggest fear right now. I have never been a great test taker and the idea that I have to take a four hour test that includes math- my absolute worst subject – is looming heavy on my brain. Aside from that I am going through the usual struggles that a college senior goes through – what am I going to do next year? Where am I going to live? Will I ever get a job? Is grad school right for me????!!!

SO MANY QUESTION MARKS!

I spoke to one of the graduate student’s that works in the office of admissions with me and she explained that during her senior year she was going through the same questions. She went to the Career Services office at UB and spoke with one of the career counselors to help her determine what she would like to be doing. I am definitely going to make an appointment with career services to get a better understanding of what I want to do. I’ll let you know how it goes!

I’ve said it before and I will say it again…there is nothing better than sunny days! Although it has been a pretty mild summer thus far, the past few days have been sooooo hot and absolutely beautiful! I am totally going to take advantage of the next few days and be outside as much as possible before classes get underway.

This past weekend was very quiet. I worked at my restaurant job during the evenings. All of my friends who are resident advisors and academic advisors came back this Saturday to move in the dorms early. They have training for the next week but I still get to see them every once and a while after their training. I am little sad though because my fellow blogger Lynlee will be leaving the office of admissions for a few weeks for her C.A. training. Community Assistants (or C.A.’s) are like R.A.’s for the on campus apartment complexes. She is working for Hadley Village. The on campus apartments are for students that have at least 60 credit hours (about a junior standing). The apartments are really nice and a great step up from living in the dorms but still a great opportunity to stay on campus.

I am still counting down till classes start: 14 more days!

The Student Association just announced who is coming for Fall Fest and I couldn’t be more excited!!!! Lupe Fiasco, Common, Jadakiss and Busta Rhymes are all coming for a concert on September 5th. Not to mention the concert is free for all UB undergraduate students!!!!!!!!!! AWESOME!

The countdown till classes start is still going strong. Only 29 more days until classes begin!! I need to order my books! The UB bookstore has made life a little bit easier by allowing students to order and pay for books online and then pick them up at the book store. This alleviates waiting in line for hours to get the books you need for class. It’s also really nice because they have used books for sale which are a little bit cheaper (price wise) so you don’t spend as much money on books.

This past weekend I went home (to Cleveland) to celebrate my best friend’s birthday. It was a lot of fun to see all of my friends from high school and celebrate with my friend. She lives all the way in Arizona so I rarely get to see her. I’m really happy that I can easily drive home from Buffalo to Cleveland. It usually only takes me 3 hours and it is a straight shot down 90 West.

Otherwise things have been pretty quiet around campus. More and more students have been moving in to their on campus apartments so campus is slowly becoming populated with students once again.

Well, its official, I am completely addicted to Tim Horton’s Iced Coffee and have spent the majority of my pay check on the delicious icy treat. It doesn’t really help that there are two Tim Horton’s right on north campus conveniently located in the most central part of campus.

Other than my daily caffeine fix, things have been moving at a steady pace. I have been working everyday as usual in the office of admissions. There have been a ton of tours lately because there are so many perspective students coming to visit (which is awesome). UB has tours everyday and in August there are two tours a day which makes the day a little hectic but also a lot of fun. Also, I don’t know if its just me but if feels like there has been an increase of out of state students who have been coming to tours – which is awesome because I am an out of state student.

I have also been busy with my GRE prep class offered at UB. The Princeton Review and Kaplan both have centers in or around UB. The class I am taking to get my ready to take my GRE’s is offered in a classroom at UB. The test itself is also given at the career center at UB.

The countdown for the start of classes has begun!

Everything exciting is just about to start as the summer is slowly coming to an end. Summer orienation for incoming freshman is still in full swing. There are perspective students all over campus (along with a ton of parents).

I am really excited for opening weekend in the end of August. Freshman will start moving into the dorms August 27th – which is right around the corner. I remember when I moved into Governors (my freshman dorm) back when I was a freshman. I remember being terrified about living with someone that I didn’t know. I was lucky enough to live with someone who turned out to be one of my closest friends. The transition of living in a house to living in a dorm took a while to get used to, but once I got adjusted to living in the dorms I really enjoyed my year in Governors.

It is nice to live in a house off campus now and but I do miss the dorms a little bit.

I know I’ve said it before but… I CANNOT belive that it is almost August! This summer has been absolutely flyyyying by!

Two weekends was the taste of Buffalo. It was a ton of fun- we couldn’t have asked for better weather. I tried food from a bunch of local Buffalo resturants. This past weekend was the Italian Fest on Hurtle avenue (a street in downtown Buffalo). All of the typical food stands were there and I may or may not have eaten a canoli (or 2). It was a lot of fun to see all of the people out and about supporting local Buffalo resturants. 

Things in the office of Admissions have gotten super busy because now we are doing two tours a day on Friday. Its really nice to be so busy but of course it makes time go by even quicker.