Holiday Season

The holidays are a special time in New York, regardless of your religious orientation or belief. It's a time full of spirit, bright lights, good smelling candles, and crisp, snowy air!

In spirit, I thought I would forward this guide to the holiday's. It's from 2008, but many of these beautiful sites exist annually. GUIDE

Changing Majors...Declaring?

Brew @ 2:00: Coffee Hour with Advisement

Wednesday, October 21, 2009
2:00 – 3:00pm
Office of Academic Advisement, Nugent LL

During this hour, Advisement will be offering free coffee and (of course) free advisement to anyone who seeks our services. This hour will be set aside for walk in sessions where students can discuss: Degree Progress, Major Requirements, Transfer Credits, 4 year Academic Planning, Academic Policies, and more. No appointment necessary! RED Event


Majors & Minors Exploration Week

Monday, October 26, 2009 - Thursday, October 29, 2009
In the Black & White, 12pm - 3pm

The Office of Academic Advisement invites you to take part in our Majors & Minors Exploration WEEK! For each day, Faculty and Students will represent their programs at tables set up in the Black & White. If you are Undecided, you will have the opportunity to ask questions. If you are thinking about changing your major or adding a minor, this event is your chance to get more information about other programs.

Day 1, October 26: Humanities – Communication Arts, English, Humanities, Philosophy & Religious Studies, French, Hispanic Studies, Creative Writing, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Journalism, Media Studies, and Promotional & Professional Communications

Day 2, October 27: Business & Social Sciences – Accounting, Business Management, History, International Studies, Political Science, Sociology, Asian Studies, Economics, Political Economy, Social Work, and Teacher Education

Day 3, October 28: Arts – Studio Art, Graphic Design, Art History, Photography, Arts Management, Drama Therapy, Music, and Theatre Studies

Day 4, October 29: The Sciences – Biology, Psychology, Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology, Chemistry, Environmental Studies, Forensic Psychology, I/O Psychology, Mathematics, and Neuroscience

Any Question – contact Lauren Franson, Office of Academic Advisement, LL Nugent Building

Get Out of the City...

Looking for a great way to get out of the city? To celebrate the Autumnal flavor of October and November, get out of the city and head up state. Just a quick Metro-North ride will transfer your view from cityscape to landscape.

I recommend Cold Spring New York (pictured above). I visited over the summer and it was a fairly magical, "pleasantville" place.

For more information on Cold Spring, check out: LINK

For more information on weekend getaways, check out: LINK

Common Ground

Post Diversity Class Recap:

First, my sincere appreciation for your attention and courage to speak on such a complex issue. I hope you each found the conversation insightful and thought provoking.

As we discussed in class, there are numerous different ways to identify oneself. Even in a fairly homogeneous class (homogeneous defined as first year students at Marymount), there was disparity between our own identities. Further, we noticed that our personal values are highly related to our identities. This relationship, an ever-changing and evolving relationship between our identity and that which we value, is just one part of the complex and difficult theory that is diversity.

As you progress through college, always remember that we have numerous identities, some self ascribed and some societal, and these identities play a major role in who we are and what we value. For this reason, always respect the values and identities of others, especially when they are different from your own.

At the end of class I asked you to complete a common ground activity anomalously. Reading through the responses, our seemingly homogeneous class shares many similarities. In fact, in each of the 12 categories there were at least three "YES" responses. As we move forward as a society and class, remember that we have differences but we share similarities as well. Never forget to respect the differences we share and to embrace that which connects us.

Best Secret Resource

Dear class,

I enjoyed reading all of your secrets and resources. To be frank, I learned more about the city and am grateful for all the great new suggestions. I hope you each log on to one another's blog and discover the many secrets...

My favorite? Definitely Molly's blog on the B Cup (LINK).

Cheers!

Mr. Terry

Diversity

Dear class...

We will be discussing Diversity at our next class session. Diversity takes many forms and numerous, varied constructs. In order to refine our conversation, please note your interest in the following topical areas:

- Sexual Identity Diversity (LGBT, Queer, etc.)
- Socio-Economic Diversity (Poverty, Affluence, "Middle-class", etc.)
- Race-Based Diversity (African American/Black, Chinese-American, etc.)
- Identity Based Diversity (Multiple constructs, etc.)

Please note your interest via a comment to this post.

See you all next week.

MONEY MANAGEMENT PROJECT

How to show your friend the best of NYC without breaking your wallet!

In your groups, your assignment is to create an itinerary and a budget for showing your friend from home around your area of town. You can take them wherever you want as long as it falls within your designated budged. **Remember you can take them to places for FREE too, your are not restricted to places that require cash**

The scenario: Your friend is coming to visit NYC for the first time and you want to show them everything you’ve learned about your area of Manhattan. You’re not bringing any other friends so the costs will only cover the two of you. Unfortunately you’re limited to only 1 day (24 hours) in your area. Use your money wisely and make the most of it by taking them to at least 10 locations. Trust me, its been done!

The Budget:

Group #1: $50

Group #2: $80

Group #3: $50

Group #4: $8

**Note: Your budget is not per person, it is the total spent between the two of you**

Pointers: As opposed to doing all your research solely on the net you and your group could actually go to your areas of town. That way you would be killing 2 birds with one stone. You can get to know your area better for your NYC Project and create your itinerary. I’m not saying go spend this amount of money, but when you encounter a location that requires money take a look at their prices and take note of them. No need to actually attend the tour, eat at the restaurant, etc. Just inquire about the spot! However, I understand you all have busy schedules so if you can't make it to your area don't worry about it. Just make sure you are all working together in some way. Facebook message threads seem to always be the best form to keep constant communication about a project! :)

Due Date: Your budget and itinerary should be posted on your group blog no later than our next class period, 10/15

**If you have any questions please e-mail me, jgoulartiii@mmm.edu, or Facebook me**

Good Luck & Have Fun

Secrets...

What lies beneath the surface of New York Harbor? For starters, a 350-foot steamship, 1,600 bars of silver, a freight train, and four-foot-long cement-eating worms. Find out more...Purely for your curiosity...LINK

First Week in October...

Because class is canceled...FYM students may choose to attend one of the following two lectures:

Lecture #1 Monday, October 5, 1-2pm in the Theresa Lang Theatre with Professor Katie Lebesco - "Rethinking the Obesity Epidemic"

Lecture #2 Friday, October 9, 10-11am in the Theresa Lang Theatre with Professor Vladimir Pashkevich - "Consumer Movement/Activism"

In the meantime, I hope each of you continue to write in your journals and get out in the city...

See you all soon!

Mr. Terry

Show me the money...

In class session four we will be covering fiscal responsibility and Free/Cheap NYC!!! This is a content heavy class session. Accordingly, I have provided the links to many useful websites.

Remember that everyone has different financial situations. The most important person of this financial diversity, is yourself. Make sure to take time, inform yourself, reach out resources, and be proactive.

Managing Debt: LINK

What's Your FICO (credit report): LINK

Consolidate College Loans: LINK

Paying for College: LINK

Paying for College (2) : LINK

Always remember: A college education will always be worth the money...

Keys to Success..

College isn't about a semester or a single class. College is a commitment and a challenge to overcome. You must work hard, go through the emotions, the ups and downs, and earn the degree. But when you do, it is more than worth it.

In order to ensure a great college experience, one that prepares you for life after graduation and one that is enjoyable until then, remember ALL FOUR YEARS:

A: Academics (the importance of grades and pursuing a degree)
L: Learning Your Major (deciding on a major isn’t easy and you may change)
L: Leadership (opportunities to get involved in the school)

F: Fun (Because you are gonna go crazy otherwise)
O: Opportunities Outside (Internships, summer opportunities, jobs)
U: Undergraduate v. Graduate (Importance of thinking ahead and planning)
R: Research (plan ahead…what is it gonna look like after graduation?)

Y: Yell (Get upset and go through the motions. Thinking about Transferring is natural, but do it for the right reason)
E: Eat (Get to know your professors and have lunch with them. This makes a huge difference)
A: Academic Advisors (Most important people)
R: Remember (Dates, to get out of the city, to explore the city, to register for classes, etc.)
S: Success…(You are already on the right path)

Your City in 24 Hours

It's your city...enjoy every minute of it. ;) LINK

Class Choice

Class Choice:

After reviewing the top class submissions provided by each group, our two "Class Choice" sessions will be: Diversity (with some history) and Study Abroad and Internship Opportunities.

I am excited to explore these topics as a class!

Secrets and Resources

Mr. Terry and Joey shared their favorite New York City Secrets and Resources. Following this, each student has been asked to list their top NYC secret and resource. Make sure to follow the group hyperlinks to see all the secrets...

Mr. Terry's Top Five Resources:
- Hopstop.com
- GONYC.com
- Free Museum Days
- NYMAG.com
- Restaurant Week

Mr. Terry's Top Five Secrets:
- Broadwaybox.com
- Dumbo Movies
- New York Historical Society
- Top of the Met
- Campbell's Apartment