Almost done...

These last few weeks of school have been so busy! For some reason the professors decided to load on the work for the second half of this semester. With lab reports, papers, and tests, I have been spending a lot of time in the library. However, the weekends have been a nice relief from all the work. It's a lot better going out in the nice weather than compared to the snow. The past few months have also consisted of a lot of kan jam and volleyball during the week. It's nice seeing everyone outside all the time in the warm weather. Now with only a week left of classes and two finals, freshman year is coming to an end. Next thursday Kid Cudi is coming to Brockport, which I am very excited about it! Many students waited in line for 3-5 hours to get their tickets. Luckily I didn't have to wait very long for mine, but many students were very dedicated. Then on that Friday we have our "Brock the Port" where there are games and festivities going on outside during the day. I have heard that it is the best day of the year at Brockport, so I am very pumped! But I should probably get back to finishing up this lab report, I will see ya guys later.

2nd Semester!!

So the third week of the 2nd semester is almost over! After a long break, I realized it was time to get back into the swing of things by spending nights in the library and studying for exams. With having gymnastics competitions every weekend, my semester is a lot more busy than the last. However, I am able to manage my time well so I complete all my work for classes. It is a lot of fun going on away meets and traveling with the team, so I don't mind at all being a bit more busy than I was compared to the 1st semester. Overall second semester has been a blast! I really missed the friends I made here at Brockport and am happy we are all back together. Can't wait for all the good times to come, but for now I have to get back to reading biology. Talk with ya soon!

-Natalie

Made it Through Finals!

Ahhh so first semester is officially over!! My last final was on Wednesday, I'm so glad to be done with tests. This semester flew by so fast though! So many things go on here, you just lose track of time. But I had a really great semester and a lot of fun. Studying for finals was pretty stressful, the hardest part was just staying focused. Going to the library really helps! With everyone leaving at different times depending on when their finals are over, it is really hard to focus in the dorms with people moving all their stuff for break. Although I am sad that the first semester is already over, I'm really glad to be done with tests for a while! Next semester doesn't start until the end of January, but I will be going back Jan. third for inter-session to start practicing again. Our season starts really soon, I cant wait! Well I wish everyone the best of holidays! :) See you next semester.

Back From Thanksgiving

So we had our first day of classes since returning from Thanksgiving break. Now it is time to refocus on school and crack down for finals. Finals are in two weeks, so school is still a bit stressful. But the good news is... my roommates and I won a gingerbread house making contest a few weeks ago! It was a lot of fun building our own house while eating all the candy. But I can't wait for winter break to start so this semester is over and I can begin my new set of classes in January. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

-Natalie

Moving In!!

Moving into my college dorm room was my most anticipated event all summer. It was often very scary to think about, considering it involves temporarily moving away from my family and all my friends from home. It’s the first time I would be living on my own in a totally new place. I knew I would have to take on many new responsibilities, like waking up for class on time, washing my own laundry, and learning how to balance my life between school, gymnastics, and social events. Leaving my friends who I have grew up with and shared so many memories with was not something I wanted to do. However I knew there was no way around it, it was time to move on. It was time to make new friends and start a new chapter in my life. Although moving away from a very familiar and comfortable place was fearsome, at the same time it was exciting to think about all the new opportunities that would open up to me. It is a time for me to grow up and be independent form my parents and find out who I am as an individual. After a fun and relaxing summer, August 27th finally came and it was time for me to pack my bags and go.

Being in the Honors Program, I was given the opportunity to move in a day before everyone else. This was very helpful because it wasn’t as crowded when my other suite-mates moved in! The move-in helpers provided by the college were very helpful, I was able to bring all my bags right up to the door and I was given a cart to lug all my belongings from the car to my dorm. After four days of moving me in and setting up my room, a bit longer than most students, my parents finally took off. I was very satisfied with how my room turned out. The dorms are a nice size and I'm able to fit all my possessions in here comfortably. I am an organized person, so the way my dorm room turned out was very important to me. Living in the suites, I have three other suite-mates in which we share a bathroom and a common room where we have our fridges, microwave, and television.

So far living in the dorms have been a blast! First off I have wonderful suite-mates so we have a lot of fun together, but we have also met a lot of cool people on our floor and in the dorms. We all hang out a lot; we play games, watch movies, and cook in the kitchen together. There are also many events that go on in the dorms. So far there have been volleyball tournaments and hall parties that consist of ice cream and pizza! Despite all the fun I have, my suite-mates and I are also very studious and spend a lot of our time in our dorm studying and getting work done. Although we have to lock our door to get peace and quiet, it is not necessary to go to the library to study, I often do homework right in my room.

Overall, after all the stress of moving in and living on my own, I am very content with how everything turned out. My RA (Resident Assistant) is very friendly and helpful in making sure everything runs smoothly in our hall, I am not too overwhelmed with schoolwork, my gymnastics team is a lot of fun, and I love hanging out with my suite-mates!

-Natalie

New Beginning

Hello, my name is Natalie Fiorilli, and I am a freshman here at The College at Brockport. My hometown is Solon, Ohio, there I live with my two parents, my two sisters, Emily and Katie, and my brother Timothy. My sister Emily is currently enrolled as a junior at the University of Illinois in Chicago, my brother attends The Ohio State University, and my younger sister just started her first year of high school. The first time for everything is filled with a mix of emotions, people are often scared to break out of their comfort zone, but at the same time excited to start a new chapter in their life. My younger sister and I are currently starting this “new chapter”.

I first found out about Brockport when I was recruited for the gymnastics team. Not many people from my hometown have heard about The College at Brockport, considering the percentage of “out of staters” is pretty low, that isn’t unreasonable. Although I have only been here for a few weeks, I am really glad I was introduced to Brockport, it has so much to offer!

I am majoring in Biology, and hope to be a pharmacist someday. With school starting up, and practices for gymnastics beginning, my everyday schedule is pretty busy. However, I would love to share with you my experience here at The College at Brockport. I am really excited for my first year here and hope you enjoy reading about my freshman year! : )

-Natalie