After driving around in the rain to look at Syracuse last night, I was more than excited to see the campus in daylight. It was very cold, but I knew that the overcast weather was nothing compared to what the winters might be like. I need a heavy coat.
I arrived at the welcoming seminar for the Spring Reception and I was surprised at how many people were there. I was sitting in the balcony section because the entire first floor was filled. The reception opened with the Beginning Players performing a musical number from "The Drowsy Chaperone." I would really like to continue doing musical theater in college. I like to do it on the side but performing onstage is one of my secret passions. Don't tell anyone.
Introduction to the Spring Reception
After a short welcome speech, students were split up into informational groups for the specific colleges they were accepted to. I was accepted to the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications majoring in Advertising. The dean of Newhouse, Lorraine Branham, greeted us and told us that we were fortunate to be accepted to that highly competitive college within the university which has an extremely prestigious communications program. Each year, Newhouse receives about 4,000 undergraduate applications for a class of 350 students.
My school: The S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
Lorraine Branham welcoming Newhouse students
The Newhouse building is the newest and most pampered part of Syracuse University. The facility is split up into 3 buildings and I was brought over to Newhouse 3 to discuss my major with the chairman of Advertising, James Tsao. In this major, students need to have an emphasis on where their professional interests lie. Some examples include management, media planning, account planning, and advertising laws. My emphasis is most likely going to be Creative Ideas and the Creative Craft of Advertising.
The advertising students at Syracuse have competed and won in national competitions. One of their biggest rivals in the communications program is Ithaca College, where I am heading next.
I had a quick lunch at the amazing Carrier Dome. I have seen that arena on TV and all over the internet. It was quite an amazing place to be in person. I wish I could have stayed a little longer, but I had to catch a tour of the dorm rooms. The dorms were like any college dorm rooms, but the halls were much more narrow than those at Brown.
The one and only Carrier Dome
Lunch in the Dome
I determine how much I like a college by its college tour. I think they are really important. I get to see how much that student guide loves the school. When I was visiting schools during the Ivy League Connection, I liked Boston University the best because I got a lot of the information about the school as well as a feel for school life. At MIT, it was not what I was looking for. The guide talked mostly about student pranks. The tour at Syracuse was perfect. The guide was very knowledgeable about the history of the campus and she also told the group about the secrets of the school. Our guide wasn't trying to impress us, she wasn't overly dramatic, and she wasn't boring. She was just a very down to earth student who was a great speaker. She represented her school very well. When I go to college, I really want to give campus tours.
The match building. The front doors are sealed shut, so use the side doors!
Art students doing charcoal rubbings on the ground.
My mom and I spent the rest of the day going into a bunch of buildings on campus. The entire campus was open so we could go anywhere. We went into a building that looked like a castle, Crouse School of Visual and Performing Arts. There we saw a choir performing and they sounded angelic. We also went into the chapel, where countless religions are represented.
Crouse School of the Visual and Performing Arts
Inside of Crouse
The chapel: "Ye shall know the truth and the truth will make you free."
I ended the day by visiting the financial aid office. The faculty was incredibly patient and friendly. The offices weren't overcrowded with paperwork either. I was referred to a very young financial aid officer, Kara Cabiles. She was really nice and she encouraged me to apply to scholarships offered at my high school. Her husband is from the Bay Area so we had a lot in common.
Staying honest with Abe in from of the Maxwell School of Citizenship
I think I love it here.
The official front of the university
It was freezing and I have a terrible cold. Syracuse is magical.
People always say you will find your college when you get a magical warm feeling inside of you that tells you that school is right for you. Now I know what they are talking about. Syracuse was beautiful and I really liked the students and faculty that I met. I can see myself at Syracuse University. I'm a little worried about how I will adjust to a really big university. I will compare it to Ithaca College when I go visit tomorrow.
An experiment, but still very friendly
Farewell to Syracuse
No comments:
Post a Comment