College life fall 2016

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College Life

OswegoCollegeLife.com FALL 2016

VALUABLE COUPONS INSIDE

Welcome students from SUNY Oswego, Cayuga Community College

Moving Off Campus

Before you take the plunge, there are a lot of things to consider

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Meet Freshman Jacob Alexander

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Student will commute from Sterling in neighboring Cayuga County. Why does he choose Oswego? “I was impressed on how nice the teachers are,” he says

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New Degree at Oswego: Strategic Communication

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College Life

Historic Milestone in Fundraising Campaign Achieved

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$4 million in merit scholarships awarded to students each fall

“W

ith Passion & Purpose: The Campaign for SUNY Oswego” has achieved a historic milestone in its five-year journey by surpassing the $40 million announced goal. This is the largest announced campaign among all SUNY comprehensive colleges — Oswego’s peer schools — and

nearly double the college’s last campaign goal of $23 million.

“We set out on our journey five years ago to secure the resources we need to prepare students to contribute to the common good,” SUNY Oswego President Deborah F. Stanley said. “As a public institution, we pride ourselves on keeping the doors

of education and possibility open wide to all who seek higher education and a better life.

“To support that mission and to keep college affordable and within reach, we laid out an ambitious plan to raise $40 million,” she said.

“I am thrilled to announce that we have achieved that milestone, and we thank

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each and every person who helped us reach this moment.

We are continuing to build momentum and have our sights set for an even stronger finish by the campaign’s end on June 30.”

The major accomplishment of the campaign, so far, has been the growth of the endowment from $11.5 million in 2011 to now more than $29 million, an increase of 152 percent.

The Oswego College Foundation, composed primarily of alumni representatives, has stewarded the gifts exceptionally well: the college endowment’s 10-year rate of return of 7.9 percent exceeded the 7.2 percent rate of Oswego’s aspirational group -— universities with endowments over $1 billion — and the industry average of 6.3 percent. This long-term rate of return is a key factor determining how much money the Oswego College Foundation will pay out in privately endowed scholarships.

In addition to approximately $4 million in merit scholarships awarded to Oswego students each fall, the Oswego College Foun-

dation provides $800,000 in more than 350 scholarships.

So far, the campaign has created more than 60 new scholarships for students and increased endowment levels on several existing scholarships to add to existing totals — which translates into more scholarships for students.

Additionally, more than 25 other new funds to support student achievement in the form of assistantships, internships and excellence funds have been established.

“Since our founding 155 years ago, we have remained steadfast in our commitment to make education accessible to people from all walks of life,” Stanley said. “The campaign has greatly enhanced our Oswego College Foundation scholarship program to enable eager learners -- who may not have the financial means to attend college, including many first-generation college students -- to obtain a college education.

Through their Oswego experience, these students will better themselves, expand their worldview and become productive, engaged citizens who will serve their communities.

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College Life

orientation day

10 Things They Don’t Teach You 1.

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By Morgan Altland Saying goodbye. College is a time where you are transitioning to a new environment and with this transition comes the burden of letting some parts of your life slip away.

It is important that you keep the people who matter in your life and understand that some people just need to be let go.

Real Campus Life.

The residence halls are very different.

Anyone who has spent 30 minutes outside orientation on the campus knows that places like Seneca are for parties and people from Johnson are called “Johnson Babies.”

Take time to learn the benefits and the drawbacks to each hall to find the best fit.

Frat Parties. Laker Leaders members try to explain what a college party could be in their “Life on Campus” skits, but the only way to truly know is to see them first hand.

It’s important to be careful though if you choose to go out.

Upper Classmen.

Upper classmen can be valuable resources while at college and may end up being some of your closet friends. Orientation allows you the opportunity to make friends in your class year, but doesn’t give you the chance or the tools to make friends with students who already go to Oswego (except for the Laker Leaders themselves).

Heartbreak. Orientation’s jokes about flirting at parties and deals on condoms aside, there is no real talk about how to handle a relationship.

Also, to those with significant others from their high school, there is no advice on how to know when it’s time to say goodbye. Experience is the only teacher in those subjects.

Professional Staff.

Many Laker Leaders talk about the professors who made their time on campus special, but don’t really talk about the people who work here. The heads of the dining hall, the hall directors in the building, the

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librarians, etc. all are people who go above and beyond their positions and connect with students. They are great people to get to know.

Breaking Point.

Everyone at one point or another has a breakdown at college. Try to fight it all you want, but it is important to know who to go to for help (Mary Walker Counseling Center) and that you have friends who can help you when you do.

Big Events. Orientation only highlights the negatives of the big events, things that go wrong. However, things such as Bridge Street Run and pledge week happen every year. It’s important to know how to control and pace yourself for these events so you don’t become another story for orientation.

Saying Goodbye (part two). After making friends with upper classmen, you are going to have to say goodbye again.

Some may keep in contact while others may never see you again. Let the people who are leaving know how special they are to you to try and prevent this from happening. . New Thinking.

Don’t come in thinking you have all the answers or that you are fine with who you are.

Becoming content with yourself could cause you to peak.

Try to be more than what you were, try new things, take risks or make stories.

Don’t sell yourself short, you could be a lot better than the person you were coming in.

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Jacob Alexander is majoring at SUNY Oswego in technology education. he hopes to teach shop someday, and operate a business related to woodworking. Photo by Kaitlin Alexander.

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Meet Freshman Jacob Alexander Student will commute from Sterling in neighboring Cayuga County. Why did he choose Oswego? “I was impressed on how nice the teachers are,” he says

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

O

ne of the many new faces on SUNY Oswego’s campus this fall belongs to freshman Jacob Alexander. Commuting from his home in Sterling each day, Jacob chose SUNY Oswego for his education only partially because the school’s close proximity to home, which can save him the cost of room and board.

On a certain level, he knows he’ll miss the experience of dorm life and the dynamic, tight-knit friendships many college students enjoy with roommates. But “home-cooked meals are nice,” Alexander quipped.

The school’s faculty and facilities provided another reason for him to enroll there as a technology education major. His multiple visits to campus prior to applying convinced him that SUNY Oswego was the right choice for him.

“I was impressed on how nice the teachers are,” Alexander said. “They’re very kind to the students. I like the new technology, like the 3-D printers they offer.

There’s such a large wood

shop and metal shop.”

Alexander hopes he can impress his SUNY Oswego instructors with his abilities as he creates projects.

“I want to achieve a lot,” he said. “I hope I can come up with some really good things to show them.”

His home woodworking equipment includes three lathes he uses to make bowls, bases, pens, ornaments and other useful and decorative objects. He’s always been handy and Alexander hopes to add more skills to his abilities and operate a cabinet shop or a furniture company upon graduation and work as a wood shop teacher.

It’s not surprising that Alexander should feel inclined to pursue education.

His father, Ron Alexander, instructs in the automotive department at Morrisville State College. His mother, Patti, is a stay-at-home mother to Alexander and his three sisters, Kaitlin, Meadow and Lilly.

Alexander’s penchant for education developed as he worked his way up through the ranks at Kuk Sool Won

of Wolcott, led by Master Joe Burnett, fifth-degree black belt and the school’s owner.

Alexander regularly teaches children’s classes and enjoys the experience. Alexander began lessons at age 6 and earned his second degree black belt in 2013. An ACL injury sidelined him from high school wrestling and martial arts in the spring 2016 semester. Now that he has recovered, Alexander plans to continue practicing martial arts at Kuk Sool Won and, as an extra-curricular activity, join the Oswego State fishing club.

“I always carry my fishing stuff in my car if I have free time and I’m near anywhere that I can fish,” Alexander said.

Opportunities for angling also helped make SUNY Oswego a good choice for Alexander, he said.

He plans to find work on campus. During the summer months, he works at Fair Haven State Park as part of the maintenance crew.

In the next issue of College Life, we’ll share how Alexander fared in his first semester of college.

Fall 2016 4

C Social Media 101 College Life

How to take advantage of the online tools available

By Morgan Altland

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n a growing technological world it is important to understand how to take advantage of the tools around you. Social media is one of these tools that have allowed people and corporations to become closer than they ever were before. As a college student, knowing how to use social media to your advantage can be the difference in whether or not you are able to have a successful life after the classroom.

1. Create the account.

This is an important first step. Try to create an account for the various social media platforms around you. You never know when a company will check your use of Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to see how you can create an online presence or see if you know how to create groups, advertise events or just present yourself in a positive light.

2. Usage. Don’t just create the account and leave it to gather dust. Be an active member of the social world. Putting yourself out there can help you be more aware of the world beyond the screen and help when it comes to information on jobs, companies or people.

3. Presentation. How does your account look?

What do you show others about yourself and how do you describe who you are on the account. These are important questions anyone should consider before they start looking for a job.

4. More than a resume.

While in an interview it can be hard to remember everything you have done or that you wanted to talk about.

While it is extremely important to have a resume, it can also be useful to track your accomplishments online.

LinkedIn and Facebook can give companies more information about you than a 30-minute interview.

5. Networking. Connect

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to people and companies on sites like LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter. Creating this connection can help lead you to finding the right “in” for the job market, as well as giving you more insight on how the market truly looks.

6. Friends and classmates. Speaking of creating connections, staying in touch with friends and others in your major can help you both

in and out of the classroom.

People can tell you what professors to take classes with, they can let you know if they have cheaper books for sale and of course can be the connection you need for finding a job. Letting people give you that helping hand can give you all the tools you need to hit the ground running.

7. Professors and teachers. Use social media to con-

nect with these people. If you have a bond with a professor, send them a friend request.

Professors can help you stay in touch with current events in the field you’re interested in and can be a great resource when it comes to navigating the job market.

8. Alumni. Various speakers come to the college at different points throughout the year. They were just like you and had the difficult task of trying to start a life once their time in the classroom came to an end. Connecting with them can give you answers to questions you didn’t even know to ask.

9. Creativity. How can you use social media to

benefit the company? Some companies have begun creating Snapchat accounts along with the ones they already have from the traditional social media platforms. Think of how you can bring companies to the newer forms of social media and they will be receptive to your out of the box style of thinking.

10. Originality The best way to do things different is to see the ways they’ve been done before. Look at other ways people present themselves online to help yourself try to think of different ways to create an online presence.

Creating a page people will remember can help you stand out.

College Life

dangerous jobs

Farmers, Fishermen, Foresters More Likely to Commit Suicide CDC study shows workers in some occupations five times more likely to commit suicide

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an the type of job you choose affect your risk of suicide? Possibly, according to a new U.S. report that found for certain occupations, the odds of suicide were significantly higher.

From 2000 to 2012, the overall rates of suicide for people aged 16 and older rose 21 percent, the study found. That works out to an approximate increase from 13 to 16 suicides per every 100,000 people in the United States.

But among farmers, fishers and for-

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esters, the suicide rate was dramatically higher — at 85 suicides per 100,000 people.

For males in those jobs, the rate was even greater. Their suicide rate was 90.5 suicides per 100,000, according to the report.

“People working in certain occupations are at greater risk for suicide due to job isolation, a stressful work environment, trouble at work and home, lower income and education, and less access to mental health services,” said lead researcher Wendy LiKamWa McIntosh. She’s a health scientist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Farmers have additional risk factors like social isolation and unwillingness to seek mental health services,” McIntosh said. The report also noted that farmers’ exposure to pesticides may affect their neurological system and contribute to depression.

Other occupations that carried significantly higher-than-normal rates of suicide included construction and extraction, with 53 suicides per 100,000; and installation, maintenance and repair with 48 suicides per 100,000, the study found.

For construction workers, the report authors suggested that a lack of steady work, isolation and a fragmented community might play a role in their higher risk. The investigators theorized that people working in installation, maintenance and repair may have long-term exposure to solvents that could damage their neurological systems. That might contribute to memory loss and depression, the researchers suggested.

Men working in fishing, forestry or farming had the highest rates of suicide for their gender.

Among women, the highest rate was seen in those working in protective services, such as policing and firefighting. Their rate was 14 per 100,000. Men in the protective services field had a suicide rate of 34 per 100,000, the report noted.

Physician Alan Manevitz, a clinical psychiatrist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, pointed out that “work is increasingly stressful.”

People take their own lives “mostly because they are depressed,” he said. “We live in a 24-hour world, so it can be easy to feel overburdened, which can lead to depression,” Manevitz added.

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College Life To and from

If you don’t have your own vehicle, be realistic about public transportation and getting rides with friends. Logistics can be complicated and travel times can be lengthy, so just make sure you are onboard with what getting back and forth from campus will entail.

housing

Are you a blower or a saver?

If you are going to use a refund check to cover your off-campus housing costs, make sure you can be responsible with that cash. You will likely have to ration it for the duration of the semester and follow a budget. If you are someone who has a hard time doing this, you need to be prepared to change your ways.

Do your homework on the paperwork

Moving Off Campus Before you take the plunge, there are a lot of things to consider

By Melissa Stefanec

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or some students, nothing is sweeter than the idea of moving off campus and getting your own place.

It can be a rite of passage and an opportunity to establish yourself as an increasingly autonomous being. It can also be just plain cool. However, it’s not for everyone.

Before you take the plunge, there are a lot of things to consider. Here are some things you should think about before you continue down the off-campus road.

The convenience of campus

For all the perils of dorm life, there is a convenience to it that is quite alluring. You are close to everything, including dining halls, lecture halls and the library. You don’t have to worry about last-second parking. When the weather turns bad, which in this area it inevitably will, you don’t have a lengthy commute and vehicle to reclaim from a snow bank.

Being on campus is really convenient — only move off campus if you are ready to

7 Fall 2016

give up those conveniences.

Living arrangements

If you plan on moving off campus with a group of friends, be very choosey about who you cohabitate with. If you have a bad living arrangement in the dorms, there are steps you can take to get yourself out of it, and most of these solutions won’t cost you a lot of money. If you are signing a lease with someone, things can get very complicated and expensive.

When you are choosing your housemates, think about whether you can rely on them to pay rent and other bills. The utility companies don’t care if one of your housemates can’t afford to pay this month; they will get their money from you.

The responsibilities

If you are a messy person, don’t choose an off-campus living arrangement that involves cohabitating with a bunch of neat freaks. Same rule goes in the other direction. Try to find people who have similar standards of cleanliness, sleep schedules and lifestyles to your own.

You are going to be spend-

ing a lot of time with your housemates; you had better make sure you like them and can stand to share the same space with them.

Read your prospective lease and enlist some ancient reviewers

You may be on the road to autonomy, but you probably haven’t been around the housing block yet. You need to scrutinize your lease before you sign it. You need to ask questions of your landlord and get answers in writing. You should also ask your parents or other adults in your life to review your potential lease. Chances are, they’ve been burned in the past and know what to look for.

You should also watch out for things such as who pays the water and sewer bills, who clears the snow and who maintains the lawn.

You don’t want any surprises when it comes to these items.

Make sure hidden costs aren’t hidden

When you are on campus, you pay room and board. From there on out, your primary needs are tak-

en care of. When you move off-campus, it’s not so simple. If rent doesn’t include all of the utilities, make sure to factor others in. Call companies ahead of time and get the cost of Internet, electric and gas. Your rent won’t be your only expense. Factor in things like household items, cleaning supplies, gas for your vehicle and groceries.

Seek sage advice

If you know some people who live off-campus, ask them about difficulties they’ve encountered. Ask them what they pay for utilities. Ask them how they’ve struggled and what they would have done differently.

They have insight that can’t be bought.

Get the down and dirty on your landlord

Not all landlords are created equal. If a certain landlord has a bad reputation, it might have been earned. Ask your off-campus friends about landlords they had good and bad experiences with. A bad landlord can make an off-campus living situation turn sour very quickly.

If you are planning to move off campus, make sure to contact Residence Life and Housing long before you take the plunge. You want to ensure there are no requirements holding you back and you have completed and submitted any applicable paperwork. Don’t led red tape hold you back from your goals.

Keep browsing

Don’t settle for the first housing option you look at — not all off-campus housing is created equal. Some properties are far better maintained than others. Don’t get caught living in a dilapidated place just because you didn’t want to be inconvenienced by shopping around.

Don’t wait until the last minute

The best places go first.

Start looking for a place as early as you can. If you wait until the last possible minute, your options likely won’t be stunning. Shopping early can also give you access to properties with numerous price points.

Be a creeper

If you don’t want to do all the legwork yourself, talk with people you know about moving in with them. There are people out there looking for housemates. You can save yourself a lot of time and energy by filling one of those vacancies.

Ready to move?

If you know it’s time for you to leave the campus nest, make sure you’ve planned and done your homework.

That way, you can actually enjoy the thing you’ve been looking forward to.

College Life

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new major

Strategic Communication SUNY Oswego adds another master’s degree to its lineup

By Melissa Stefanec

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tarting this fall, SUNY Oswego will offer a new graduate degree program.

Students will now be able to enroll to receive a master of arts in strategic communication. The new degree will have three areas of specialization: health communication, organizational communication and integrated media and social networks. The degree is geared toward students who want to further their skills and knowledge in all levels of communications.

“We are very excited,” said Mary Toale, chairwoman of SUNY Oswego’s Communication Studies Department. “We are preparing students for the workplace or to go on to a doctoral degree.”

The college will also continue to offer its graduate certificate in integrated media and social networking — the third specialization option — which has been offered for five years.

The deets Students pursuing this new master’s degree will be required to take a core group of courses and choose one of the three specializations.

Students applying for the program should have a 3.0

grade point average or higher. If an applicant doesn’t have a 3.0 or higher GPA, he or she can take the graduate record examination and submit his or her scores for consideration.

Although the degree program is aimed at students who majored in the various fields of communication studies, the program also hopes to enroll students from other disciplines. According to Toale, what communication strategies students will learn in this program can be applied across a number of professional disciplines.

“This program is for someone who wants to deliver better and more efficient information to the audiences they are targeting,” said Toale. “This is very much an applied degree. Students are going to learn how to do it and apply it right away.”

The specializations — Health communication: This specialization will focus on internal and external communications in health fields. Classes will focus on patient-practitioner communications, practitioner-to-practitioner communications and public relations.

The public relations aspect will teach students

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strategies to deal with healthcare crises and guide them on how to conduct successful health care campaigns. Some classes will also focus on how to best deal with health insurance companies. The goal is for students to learn how to communicate at levels of the healthcare field.

— Organizational communication: This specialization will look at how people communicate in all sorts of environments. Students will study the concepts of ethics, teamwork, and diversity as these concepts relate to communications and the workplace.

This course of study analyzes how people communicate in for-profit and nonprofit organizations, as well as small and large businesses. The program also focuses on how to optimize leadership and team building and how to work with difficult personalities and situations in the workplace.

— Integrated media and social networks: This specialization is a combination of communication, art, and human-computer interaction studies. The program will focus on analytics, design and video game/social networking game theories.

It will challenge students to analyze what is happening in the media landscape.

Behind the scenes The new degree program has been in the works for about 18 months. The program was approved in March.

One student, who did

Mary Toale, right, chairwoman of SUNY Oswego’s Communication Studies Department, and graduate student Kristan JohnsonThomas discuss the new master’s degree program in strategic communication. Johnson-Thomas, an alumna who works at Cayuga Community College, said she supported creation of the new program and has applied for it. (Credit to SUNY Oswego) coursework prior to official approval, is slated to get her master’s degree in strategic communication in the fall.

Another student, Kristan Johnson-Thomas, also did coursework prior to the program’s official approval and is slated to graduate next spring.

Toale wrote the program proposal. She said the goal is to recruit 10 new, full-time students for the fall of 2017.

To this end, the college has hired Katherine Thweatt as the graduate director of the strategic communication program.

“We would like to get a full class next fall with the goal to build from there,” said Toale.

Low residency program Most students will participate in a typical, on-campus degree program featuring full-time enrollment. However, for people already in the workforce, there is a low-residency program. This program allows non-traditional students to get a master’s degree through intensive, shortterm classroom learning and off-campus projects. Students who choose this option will

have a high-intensity classroom experience that lasts for seven to 10 days.

Then, these students can return to their jobs and continue their study through off-campus projects, all of which are guided by an adviser. This option allows a student to graduate in 12 to 18 months, as opposed to the standard two-year completion time frame.

The graduate certificate SUNY Oswego started offering a graduate certificate in integrated media and social networking in the fall of 2011. Students working toward this certificate need to take fewer credits than are required for a master’s degree — 19 to be exact.

Students who want to obtain this certificate have to complete all the core courses and then submit a thesis or an applied project.

“They can use it as an advantage to getting a job,” said Toale. “It gives them additional knowledge to their undergrad.”

For more information on the new master’s program, contact Toale at mary.toale@ oswego.edu.

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Fall 2016 8

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College Life to that major.

“We’ve broken down the job market for that major,” Morris said. “It gives students a decent sense of, ‘Now I’m a biology major. Now what?’”

The site is https://www. oswego.edu/career-services/ what-can-i-do-major.

If you discover you’re in the wrong major, talk with your guidance counselor or career services office about what you can do. You may be able to use many of the classes you have already taken toward a major that suits you better.

major You Know You Hate Your Major When...

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

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hoosing the right major represents one of the top decisions most students have made in life so far. Selecting the wrong major can send you down the wrong career path and cost you a lot. Consider the following signs you’re in the wrong program: 1. It’s really dull.

For Gary Morris, director of career services for the Compass Resource Center at SUNY Oswego, people who have chosen the wrong major “find even their core courses are boring,” he said. “That sometimes reflects in their grades. If you’re not interested in where your professional career is going, you’re not putting in that 110 percent.”

2. You chose it only to please someone else.

If your parents pushed you in that direction so you could land a lucrative career, reconsider your major. Simi-

9 Fall 2016

larly, if you chose that major only because you like the professors, you should think more about what you want for your future.

3. You think the classes will be easy.

You should exhibit some proficiency for the subject; however, it’s a mistake to simply choose a major because you want an easy path.

The subject matter should interest you deeply.

Morris challenges students to ask themselves what makes them special as a person, what they value, and where their strengths lie.

As you consider majors and the careers to which they lead, ask yourself questions such as: • What were my favorite classes in high school?

• Do I like helping people or working more isolated?

• Do I prefer working as

a team or independently?

• Do I want to lead, manage, create, inform, entertain or educate?

• Where do I want to live and can I find this kind of work in this area?

• Can I make enough money to support the lifestyle I want for my future?

If you feel uncertain about your major, conducting informational interviews with professionals in that field, job shadowing, volunteering opportunities and internships can all help you learn about the day-to-day functions of the types of jobs your major leads to.

“Lots of majors translate into a great many career fields,” Morris said. “We try to get the major that will fit in that career choice. I truly think there are opportunities out there if people are willing to work hard and do what they need to move forward.”

SUNY Oswego recently launched a new segment of its website, “What Can I Do with a Major?” where the school lists every major. On it, professionals describe a typical day on that job. The site also lists all the professional organizations, alumni groups and student organizations on campus that relate

Majors and What the Pros Do SUNY Oswego recently launched a new segment of its website, “What Can I Do with a Major?” where the school lists every major.

On it, professionals describe a typical day on that job. The site also lists all the professional organizations, alumni groups and student organizations on campus that relate to that major.

To visit, go to https:// www.oswego.edu/career-services/what-can-ido-major.

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small business

4 Big Mistakes College Students Make C ollege is when many young people first get a taste of independence. Unfortunately, this newfound freedom can lead to decisions that may impact life well beyond graduation.

How can you avoid the pitfalls plaguing fellow scholars? Here are strategies for dodging common mistakes made by college students:

Hurting Your Credit

You may be presented with credit card offers for the first time; and building good credit can help lay the groundwork for future financial options — but proceed wisely. College seniors owed $4,100 in credit card debt by graduation, according to recent research from Debt.org.

Don’t let credit cards be an excuse to spend beyond

“Famous Since 1984”

your means. Start with a line of credit you can handle. If you manage that well, later on you’ll be able to borrow more.

To maintain good credit, pay your statement on time and more than the minimum due each month, keep balances low, keep long-standing accounts open, and avoid applying for too many credit cards. Remember to check credit history often. Look for a credit card that offers perks like cash back rewards and a low APR.

Overdoing It

Buying College Text Books & Calculators

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College is about earning a degree. However, it’s also about making lifelong friends and exploring interests. Keep this in mind when choosing courses for the semester.

For example, it may not be the best idea to stack five of the most challenging courses offered by the school into one semester. Not only will it be hard to devote the attention needed for each class, you may leave yourself little time to take on other projects and internships that could also benefit your future.

Bad Money Management

College is expensive, and beyond the expenses you already know about — tuition, books, and housing — you will incur many other expenses along the way, from lab fees to gas to cell phone bills.

“Setting up a budget is crucial, particularly if your spending money is drawn from a loan or grant,” says John Rasmussen, head of education financial services at Wells Fargo. “You’ll need that money to last if you don’t have another stream of revenue.”

Not Sleeping

Between cramming and socializing, shuteye may be in short supply. However, quality sleep is fundamental to quality learning. If you’re a night owl, avoid early morning classes. Also, avoid procrastination, which can lead to all-nighters.

College lasts just a few years but what you do there can affect your life for years to come. Use your independence to make smart decisions that are good for your future.

Fall 2016 10

C It’s All About That Internship College Life

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O

ut of the hundreds of activities and opportunities available for college students, at the top of the list remains one major experience: the internship.

At SUNY Oswego’s Center for Experiential Learning, students are given the opportunity to get ahead in career planning and to help pinpoint their ideal field of study.

Denise DiRienzo, who assumed the position of center’s director in July 2014, expresses her desire to help students make connections with potential employers and find their own career path, all while encouraging real-life experience in a professional setting through internships.

DiRienzo was already an Oswego faculty member, teaching event-planning and business in theater. She has her undergraduate degree in journalism from St. John Fisher College and her master’s in public relations from Syracuse University. This past summer, she completed her doctorate in executive leadership. Teaching since 1998, DiRienzo has a drive to be a mentor to students and has been consistently involved in event-planning and experience-based learning, which she places heavy emphasis on.

“Students need these opportunities,” she says. “An internship is critical to finding your niche.”

The internship program serves as a safe environment for students to explore potential career paths without making permanent decisions, DiRienzo adds.

Putting their skills to use, finding the right pathway to a successful future and networking through opportunities are just a few of the benefits. Planning ahead is the key to getting the most out of the college internship experience, as well as “understanding the job search process.”

“It’s the same as applying for a job,” DiRienzo says.

“You need to make sure you plan ahead.”

The Center for Experiential Learning is an on-campus resource that not only connects students to engaging internships, but supplies them with a wide variety of assistance in regards to career-based goals. This includes writing cover letters and résumés, finding courses that focus on and improve presentation and public speaking techniques, and developing communication skills to approach potential employers on a professional level. The center aims to be proactive and always available to the student when they are seeking help or advice.

DiRienzo points out the benefits for employers to having interns

that go beyond the concept of extra help, for both corporate and local alike. College students have the ability to provide a fresh perspective as well as differing expertise in new trends and ideas, and enthusiasm and passion for the career. Students go after internships because they take a genuine interest in the field, DiRienzo adds. “Employers guide the students.”

For students, she explains that employers are looking for interns who are responsible and professional. While it depends on the specific skill sets for a particular field, companies seek out the students who show a real interest in the work.

The benefits for a student are practically endless, DiRienzo says. Students experience firsthand what it would be like to work in the field that they are leaning toward. In addition, they also have the opportunity to backtrack and learn something new if they realize that the career path they were originally seeking is not truly what they want to do in the near future.

DiRienzo also says that as much as 40 percent of interns come back as hired employees for the companies they interned at.

For employers, DiRienzo encourages all companies to reach out to the Center, or to her personally through email or phone, to extend internship opportunities and programs.

“If you think your company isn’t the type for an intern, that’s not true,” DiRienzo says. “Any company can benefit from an intern.

It’s amazing what a great experience it can be on both sides.”

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College Life

entrepreneurship Build a Successful Dorm Business Zuckerberg did it, so did Dell and many others. Want to try it? Here are some tips

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

I

s your inner entrepreneur beckoning you to start a dorm-based business?

Would you like to make some extra money but find working a standard job is too difficult to fit around classes and extra-curricular activities?

Starting your own business could help. Try these tips for a greater chance of success.

Get passionate. If you possess enthusiasm and knowledge about something you can sell, your chances increase manifold because others will believe in your ability to do the work right or sell them a good product.

Can you do something that ties into your major or past experience? For example, if you excel at creating elaborate hairdos, you can parlay that skill into a good business.

Be unique (or at least, rare). If everyone else is doing it, the demand for your product or service decreases. Should you discover the market is already flooded, find a different niche no one else has filled.

Or, you can offer something better than what everyone else offers. This can represent an uphill battle, but if you can do it better than anyone else, you can make money through superior quality.

Deeply undercutting competitors’ prices may gain you customers for the shortterm, but you can’t sustain that long-term. Sooner or lat-

er, you’ll have to raise your prices to stay afloat. Instead, charge fair prices and deliver quality.

Leverage a brand name everyone knows.

For example, Young Living Essential Oils is a top name in a very popular niche.

As long as few others sell this, you’re likely to do well.

Don’t invest a lot in products or equipment right away. Sinking too much money into a business right away makes it hard to make money. Choose a business that doesn’t require a lot of start-up money. Information-based businesses,

like writing resumes, providing tutoring services or proofreading papers. These businesses require no special equipment and you can operate them anytime.

• Think outside the campus. Can you extend the scope of your business to serve people in the community? Perhaps providing graphic arts services or creating websites for local businesses can help you build a portfolio, make connections in the industry and make some money — a triple win.

• Network to promote your business. You should not have to spend a dime to market your business if you effectively use social media and word-of-mouth advertising. But you should not shy away from good-oldfashioned posters, either.

Your dorm-based business may not pay off your school bill and rocket you to

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10 Business You Can Start From Your Dorm

A

ccording to a Jan 28, 2016, article in Entrepreneur magazine, here are 10 ideas for starting a business from a dorm room.

1. Information technology (IT) consulting 2. Social media consulting 3. Graphic design 4. Website design 5. Photography 6. Event planning 7. Personal trainer 8. Cleaning services 9. Freelance makeup artist 10. Landscaping / snow removal Zuckerberg-level stardom, but if it funds outings with your friends and helps you gain real world experience, it’s a success.

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travel

Taking Advantage of Overseas Opportunities Hate to spend a semester away? Try short trips organized by various professors

By Morgan Altland

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ollege is the best time to experience the world. With different scholarships and grants, it has become easier than ever before to take some time overseas. However, some students prefer not to spend an entire semester abroad, because it can set them back in credits or they can’t imagine being so far from home for that long.

For those who prefer not to spend an entire semester abroad, there are ways to take smaller trips. One of the best ways to go overseas is to talk to professors who or-

ganize trips over the breaks (summer, winter and spring).

Cristiana Dragomir, a professor of political science at SUNY Oswego, has organized a trip to Poland for a week a few years back and a trip to Romania this past summer.

“We had a very strong number of applicants this year,” she said about her trip.

Ultimately, 10 of the applicants qualified for the trip, which included participation in a conference in Romania.

The work of the students is done during the semester through a course she current-

ly teaches, European Politics.

The students work with professor Dragomir to perfect and edit their projects and presented them at an event with professors and students from Romania. Romanian students also presented their work.

“I think this is a great opportunity to go abroad and experience a country and to get academic visibility and academic experience because these programs are short and in depth,” Dragomir said. “What it means to live abroad, what it means to eat foreign food. It’s a great

opportunity, especially if they had never travel abroad before, because it is organized and handled by the advisers.

“From what I’ve seen in the previous trip, students also connected with the other students. When a student backpacks alone it can be harder to find likeminded individuals. Students may not truly connect from people from the country.”

Dragomir also stresses the importance of traveling in general. “It is important

to take the chance while you can because going to a place with this academic mindset can help you when it comes to looking for jobs or becoming more aware of the culture. Employers can see that on your resume and it can help you stand out in the applicant pool.”

For more information about different programs abroad, contact the Office of International Education on the second floor of Sheldon Hall.

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Putting Oswego On the Map Students and families from more than 60 countries come to Oswego every summer, thanks to an event created and directed by a SUNY Oswego chemistry professor

By Matthews Liptak

A

Q&A with Fehmi Damkaci, professor and chairman of the department of chemistry at SUNY Oswego and founder and director of Genius Olympiad.

1) What is Genius Olympiad in a nutshell?

“It is an international high school project-based competition focused on the environment. The theme of the Genius Olympiad is the environment. We ask the students to prepare a project on different disciplines such as business, science, engineering, creative writing, art, short film, music.

Then they submit these to us. Then the faculty of [SUNY] Oswego evaluates them. We select about 30 to

40 percent of the applications. Then those who are selected as finalists come here over the summer for a five-day event. They present their work and they answer questions for judges. At the end of that, the top 10 percent get a gold [medal], the next 20 percent get the silver and the next 20 percent get the bronze medal. We usually give some electronic gifts in addition to the medals.”

2) How did it start?

“It started just as an idea, ‘Hey, why don’t we do something about project-based competition to help learning of the high school kids.’

Then the first year it was just sci-

ence and art. Every year we added another team.

Creative writing was added later. Next year we are going to add robotics. It started in 2010. We just held the sixth one. The first year it started with only 220 participants and this year it was about 950 participants. About 61 countries participated this year. Over the six years we’ve probably had participants from over 100 countries. We don’t provide funds for transportation. They have to be arriving at the Syracuse airport. After that we cover their costs.”

3) What’s your background?

“I’m a chemist. I did three years teaching high school back in Turkey...then I applied for my PhD. I got my PhD at the University of Maryland, College Park in organic chemistry and nanotechnology. Then I did post-doctoral studies at Boston College. Since 2006 I have been a faculty member at SUNY Oswego and now am the chair of the chemistry department. I have a family with two kids. Both my kids, they were born in Oswego.

My wife also works at the college.”

4) What motivates you to do this?

“I was a high school teacher previously and I have an international background. I’m originally from Turkey.

I’ve been in the United States for 20 years. Organizing such an event gave me an idea that providing an opportunity for high school students about the environment in project-based learning—that’s the best way of teaching kids.

Genius Olympiad was born out of an idea to create a project-based competition for high school students, hosted by the college. It doesn’t

Professor Fehmi Damkaci, 43, the creator and director of Genius Olympiad, an event that has drawn thousands of high school students (and their families) from more than 60 countries.

Group of students during the SUNY Oswego’s 2015 Genius Olympiad.

This summer, the event drew 950 students (and their families) from more than 60 countries across the globe. have to be a science project.

It separates Genius from any other competition worldwide.”

5) Who helps?

“Judges usually are all [from] the Central New York area. We have judges from Syracuse University, ESF, SUNY Albany, Rochester — but it’s mainly SUNY Oswego. Like 60 percent of the judges are from SUNY Oswego. They’re faculty or staff. Terra Science and Education Foundation is the main sponsor. They do have staff members who help.”

Event generates about $300,000 to the local economy, says organizer 6) How is this coordinated with the different countries?

“Right now we have a reputation, so the website [www.geniusolympiad.org] gets about 40,000 unique visits in a year. Those visitors are from over 130 countries.

People kind of know. It is the third or fourth biggest international high school competition worldwide. Over the years we’ve made that name and as people attend and are satisfied they just keep telling others. Word of mouth has increased the reputation of it. There are international schools. We send them an emails. We make new lists every year for the countries who have never attended

before trying to get new schools. Once one school attends from a country, then usually they continue to attend. That’s how we make it keep growing.”

7) Local businesses must love what you do…

“Yes. We brought about 1,000 participants in and they do a lot of shopping in the town. We do shuttle services to the Price Chopper and the Walmart. And then when they come from Niagara Falls they actually stop by at Destiny USA for four hours.

They do a lot of shopping there, too.

“We made a survey and I think some people spend about $2,000 to $3,000 because they buy iPhones, laptops and electronics. There’s a lot of stuff they buy from TJ Max and Walmart. It think the per-person average when we calculate was about $300 to $400. When you make it 1,000 people that’s $300,000.

Based on our two surveys that’s what we’re averaging.

It is very substantial.”

8) What’s the feedback been from the participants?

“A lot of them said this is a unique experience for them. First, that’s their first international trip. Second, that’s the first time they’ve been to the U.S. A lot of them said they found the staff members they were working with friendly. They all have a different image of the U.S. from the movies. That’s the U.S. they know. When they come here [they find out] Oswego is much different than New York City. It’s

Fall 2016 14

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more friendly with a smalltown environment. It think that changes their perception of the U.S. — and us. The other thing they get is they meet with people from so many other countries. That is a good impact for the U.S. kids. We get a lot of U.S. kids who have never traveled outside of their state. This is one-to-one interaction for them. If there are any bad perceptions we are breaking them. Or we are building a good perception about a person from another country.

That’s something they will never forget and it will impact the rest of their lives.”

“We collect surveys. Usually out of five, 4.7 say they would recommend this. It’s highly enjoyed.”

9) Have you had any notable winners for business?

“Yes, they’re all in the website. This year it was South Korea. You should have seen her presentation.

That was awesome. Her story was when she (Yeojih Shin from Hankuik Academy in Yongih – Si Moheyeun, South Korea) was young her mom applied a makeup. The next day she got allergies against the makeup. Since then she has never been able to use any makeup. It turned out whatever she used it needed to be natural-based. Her idea was building a new company that would be producing an all-natural makeup line.

All the packaging should be as small as possible and use reusable material and also provide the public with information about natural-based makeup.

“She made a business plan. She analyzed all the Korean makeup businesses.

She looked at the companies that did similar lines of items that she was planning to sell.

She compared her differences to those companies and what her advantages [were] — how she could compete with them. Then she made an estimate of how much it would cost for each item; how much material she needed; how much investment she needed. This was a beautiful presentation. She also made some of these items ...and brought the store design.”

10) Can the public participate?

“Yes, we have community-open events which is International Night. All these participants, we ask them to bring cultural items to share and we also ask participants, if they know [one ], to sing a song, perform a dance. They do that, too. This year we had about 17 performances.

We hope that more of the public could attend and enjoy and learn something. I wish there were more participation from the community.”

15 Fall 2016

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frenemies

Five Friends to Avoid

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

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1.

20 Ohio Street Oswego, NY 13126

2.

Studying, writing papers, joining extra-curricular activities, working — you have enough going on without dealing with someone else’s emotional distress. Everyone needs to rant and blow off steam now and then, but the drama queen makes her business your business all the time. If you feel drained after every time you get together, you don’t need this pal. Move on to a friend that helps you feel emotionally energized instead of exhausted.

3.

The slacker.

Regular downtime recharges the brain, but some people constantly pull you away from work or study.

Slackers start off as really fun friends, but soon you realize that they’re all about parties and good times — not the nitty-gritty stuff of life. When you have to knuckle down, slackers blow it off. True friends support your efforts to take responsibility. They want to help. They challenge you to improve yourself and praise your efforts. Let go of the slacker.

4.

The groupie.

It may seem great to have your own yes-man who thinks everything about you is epic. But these friendships are shallow and often short-lived. Some people

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The risk taker.

The drama queen.

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hether through sharing a class or a room or by happenstance, most college students form great and sometimes lasting friendships during school. But a few types of “friends” you should avoid.

These “frenemies” can cause problems for you that can hurt your future.

Of course, your college experience should include trying new things, but not dangerous or illegal activities. Drop the buddy who wants you to take bad risks.

It’s not worth endangering your college career, job, success and perhaps your life to impress one person. Focus on your future instead of a momentary thrill.

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Teens, adults and disabled Driver Evaluations & Training act this way because they seek attention by clinging to someone else. They want to piggyback your success, but end up draining you.

True friends keep you in touch with reality. They feel comfortable enough with you to honestly — and kindly — tell you where you could improve. Base friendships on mutual respect.

5.

The user.

Friends help each other out, but with the user, it’s one-sided. You constantly bail her out of jams and keep her life on track. But when you need a hand, she’s busy, broke, tired or otherwise unable to help — every single time! Some users selfishly take advantage of others to make up for their own shortcomings. They never plan ahead, so they constantly tap others for help. Lose those users. Some users are just needy people who don’t have the resources they need.

Point them in the right direction, such as a budgeting app so they won’t hit you up for pizza money constantly.

Or offer a lead on a part-time job so they can meet their obligations. If they won’t help themselves, you don’t need people like this using up your resources.

It can take time to know which friends are for keeps, but once you know, these relationships help make your college life great.

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to do the best I can like I have never before.”

McKnight and her colleagues at Lakeside Media aren’t just gaining résumé fodder — they are becoming professionals with the repertoire to prove it.

“I will be able to put that I worked at a real video production company on my resume before I even graduate,” said McKnight.

The pair has six more videos planned for the fall semester.

The mentor

Matt Cancel and Amanda McKnight working on a video for University Police. Photo courtesy of Jim Kearns of the Office of Communication and Marketing at SUNY Oswego.

Lights … Camera … Action!

Need video production? Try Lakeside Media@SUNY Oswego

By Melissa Stefanec

W

hat do the Oswego County Tourism Department, Oswego County, SUNY Oswego University Police Department, SUNY Oswego Office of Global and International Studies, the Department of Communication Studies at SUNY Oswego, and the SUNY Oswego technology department all have in common?

They know the students running Lakeside Media@ SUNY Oswego are professionals who can deliver quality products. Each of these entities has hired employees at this student-run business to produce full-scale videos on topics ranging from eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) to Title IX. Lakeside Media@SUNY Oswego is a full-scale video production business based in Lanigan Hall on the SUNY Oswego campus. The business officially launched in the fall of 2015, but really took off during this past spring semester, during which time the students produced four videos.

Marybeth Longo, faculty director of Lakeside Media@ SUNY Oswego, oversees the effort, but student employees are responsible for all aspects of the business.

“The students are involved from the first draft though the deliverable,” said Longo. “This is a real job. They can put photojournalist on their resumes.”

The students who staff the video production business are paid employees. As such, they have all the responsibilities any employee of a video production business would experience. The job is a demanding one, but these students are dedicated to their craft.

“It’s a huge undertaking,” said Longo. “I don’t think most people understand the amount of time that goes into a three-minute video.”

The undertaking

According to Longo, there are four main phases involved in producing a video. During the first phase, the students setup an interview to meet

Online

@

with the client. Longo brings students to these preliminary client meetings so they can see how a business meeting is conducted and provide inputs.

Students walk away with the blueprint for a project.

During the second phase, students put together a treatment for the client. This treatment includes a cover letter, schedule, outline of the video and a budget. The students then work with the client to square away details and set production in motion.

Production is the third phase. The students use professional-grade equipment.

The students have to transport and operate all of this equipment. They obtain footage and head back to the lab. Then, the fourth phase starts. Students edit and produce the video and work with the client to finalize the video. Students are involved in making decisions throughout the entire process.

So far, in addition to EEE and Title IX, Lakeside Media@ SUNY Oswego has produced videos on topics ranging from

traveling abroad through SUNY Oswego, the dangers of synthetic marijuana and the SUNY Oswego Police Department, as well as others.

In the spotlight

Amanda McKnight is a senior who is double majoring in mass communications and broadcasting, and cinema and screen studies. She is also an employee of Lakeside Media.

McKnight took an introductory video production class with Longo. Before long, she was hooked. This past semester, McKnight worked with her partner, Matthew Cancél, to produce videos for the University Police Department. The pair created videos on topics ranging from rape defense, driving while intoxicated, and SAVAC, the student-run volunteer ambulance corps.

For one of the videos, the pair modeled their video after the hit MTV show “Cribs.”

“It’s just like a job,” said McKnight. “There are expectations for us. We aren’t students; we’re working. I want

Longo teaches a number of classes at the college, including a class in video production. She also has owned her own video production business for 25 years. Prior to the creation of Lakeside Media, SUNY Oswego students entered a video in the instructional/educational category of the Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts, a national competition.

The video, which informed the public about a communication system for Upstate first responders, tied for third place in competition. The students worked so hard that Longo decided she had to find a way to keep the momentum going.

She was getting calls from the campus community requesting video production services, and so she started the legwork for what would become Lakeside Media@SUNY Oswego.

Longo mentors students throughout each assignment, but, ultimately, it’s the students who are responsible for the videos and client approval.

“The experience they are getting is priceless, and they get a stipend based on the job they do,” she said. “You learn by doing. They hear these things in a lecture, and then they put it all together by actually doing it.”

For more information

There aren’t any specific qualifications that employees of Lakeside Media@SUNY Oswego have to possess, but Longo said it’s helpful if the student’s coursework is related to some aspect of the video production process.

For example, a prospective employee could be majoring in business, public relations or broadcasting. Due to the high level of involvement, it’s also recommended that prospective candidates for the position be juniors or seniors.

Lakeside Media@SUNY Oswego serves SUNY Oswego and the community at large.

For more information on the services it offers, or to get involved, contact Longo at mlongo@oswego.edu.

OswegoCollegeLife.com Fall 2016 16

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At An Area Church Of Your Choice!

Trinity St. Joseph’s Church 240 W. First St. Oswego NY 13126 315-343-2160 stjosephoswego@gmail.com www.stjosephsoswego.com Handicapped Accessible Hearing Assistance Available

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United Methodist Church 45 East Utica Street Oswego 343-1715 SUNDAY WORSHIP 9:00 a.m.

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Sunday @ 11 a.m.

Confessions @ St. Joseph’s 4 p.m. on Saturdays

Deacon Nick Alvaro

St. Stephen the King Church 138 Niagara St. Oswego NY 13126 315-343-0350 st.stephentheking@gmail.com www.ststephensoswego.com

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Sunday at 10:45 am • Wednesday at 6:30 pm

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Foodies Unite!

College Life

Oswego offers options from coffee shops and pubs to local upscale dining

By Taisha Nicole

A

re you sick of the dirt-tasting version of Starbucks coffee that drains your dining dollars?

Are you dissatisfied with the options for food in dining halls and cafés?

Sure, Lakeside Dining Hall has some of the best options on campus for food, and I understand you enjoy Cooper Dining Hall ice cream.

But, I promise you, Oswego has so much more to offer you that tastes better than Oswego Sub Shop, Domino’s, and other Web food options you have that won’t break the bank.

I can also promise you that there are nice upscale restaurants in town you can bring your family to when they visit for art exhibition openings, hockey games, or

just friends and family weekend visits.

for your viewing pleasure.

Walking distance from dorms

Personally, I’m terribly picky about my alcohol. I get that students are on a budget and they like to pregame before hitting the bars. But, if you want to be able to have some great tasting beer and pay a dollar or two more, it is worth the investment.

• Bistro 197: Upscale dining options for family or dates.

I strongly suggest hitting up happy hour for $1 off amazing mixed drinks that will blow your mind. Not to mention the atmosphere is the best in town.

Thursday through Saturday, there is always live local music playing.

It does have awesome specials that are featured online. It often offers discounts on slider burgers, duck wings, pub fries and more. Its food is fantastic.

Sometimes my dessert is an excellent drink there and a créme brulee. It doesn’t murder my wallet, and I love going there as a treat. They also have excellent beer on tap as well as New York state craft brew options.

• Old City Hall: If you are eating on a budget, I suggest checking its menu. It changes often, but they usually do 50cent wing night on Mondays; Tuesday is quesadillas and other options; and Wednesday night is $1 taco and $3 burrito night.

Tuesdays is open mic and Wednesdays feature live music

• Rudy’s Lakeside Drive-in — I love their fish and chips. I haven’t tried the poutine yet. I’m very skeptical. I love my poutine from Montréal, which is the city I was born in.

• Bev’s has some delicious ice cream. If you get to explore off-campus, Paul’s Big M and Stewart’s Shops also has some yummy ice cream at low prices.

Rudy’s and Bev’s — located on the lakeshore — are also great because you get the best sunsets around. It’s super relaxing for those much-needed rest and relaxation moments you need from school and life.

Movie night deals

Canale’s Restaurant: The red building on 156 W. Utica St. is a landmark in Oswego. The restaurant has been open in Oswego since 1954.

Canal Commons

Let’s say you are bored of the free movies on campus and you want a fun night out without breaking the wallet.

The Oswego Theater in downtown Oswego offers a discount movie night on Tuesdays. You can get day time pricing as long as it isn’t a 3-D movie, and Wednesday night they have $1 popcorn night!

Not to mention the amazing reclining seats. Forego your plans to travel to Syracuse to pay for overpriced movie tickets and concessions.

I personally prefer our local movie theater. It is quaint and a whole lot more comfortable

Pubs

hosted by John McConnell.

There are tons of local acts that come in and play and it’s free.

• The Raven: If you go during happy hour, the drinks are marked down and it has reasonable snack items. If you are not a crowd person, this is the best time to go and its mixed drinks are reasonable.

• The Red Sun Fire Roasting Co.: This is a restaurant, but it does have a bar. Its beer and wine are quite good. Its menu features normal dining-out prices, but there are inexpensive things you can pick on a budget. Their brick oven pizza is the best aside from Bridge Street Pizza. It is reasonably priced and great to split between friends.

• GS Steamers Bar & Grill and Alex’s on the Water: These options are expensive if you want to do dinner. If you have family visiting or professors you want to have faculty get-togethers with, these are good options for dinner. They do have bar and pub menus, and their beer selection and reasonably priced bar menus are worth looking at.

Cafés

• Taste the World: The café features freshly roasted coffee beans every day. The espresso and specialty drinks are amazing. The quality of what you pay for is totally worth it. Not into coffee? That is OK too. They have a variety of amazing loose leaf teas.

My favorite is the blooming jasmine.

• The Coffee Connection: Great atmosphere and a cozy placement next to the water.

The staff is amazingly friendly, it has yummy pastries, and a cute area is featured upstairs to chill with friends.

• The Oswego Tea Company: More known for its tea selections, it does offer coffee and its eggs Benedict and Belgian waffles are to die for. It is a cozy place as well to gather with friends and family and relax.

I even photographed its waffles and sent images to my friend, who is native of Antwerp. He confirmed they look like the way they would be served in Belgium. It is fluffy warm awesomeness that soothes the soul.

Breakfast

Hangover cures and brunch buddy dates: • The Bagel Shop: Located downtown, you would miss it if you weren’t looking, but it is a great local gem. It has $3 signature crazy bagels, and very inexpensive bagels with homemade cream cheese. It also has fantastic lunch options, but get there quickly. It is open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., but it closes when food sells out. It is a great down-to-earth atmosphere. I go there almost every morning for inexpensive breakfasts.

• Mom & Pop’s Soda Shop: I love this place, because the pancakes are bigger than my face and meals are less than $10! I always have two days worth of leftovers afterwards. Its diner coffee isn’t too shabby either.

Lunch

• Port City Café: It has

Bistro 197

Fall 2016 18

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College Life

Colonial

Laundromat

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Franco’s Pizza reasonably priced salads, sandwiches and wraps, and pastries are also delicious.

• The Bagel Shop: The chicken cordon bleu is my favorite, but there is a good amount to choose from on homemade breads.

• Office Tavern: From chicken tenders to salads, there is a lot to choose from.

It also has a reasonably priced bar.

• Bridge Street Pizza: They serve excellent pizza hands down.

• Franco’s Pizza: Franco is an Italian-American from Long Island. He has the most fun personality ever. His pizza and gelato are quite tasty as well!

• Azteca: Its margaritas and flan is the best. But, its lunch menu items are priced reasonably and won’t break your wallet. It is also authentic Mexican food. It is a great place to bring family and friends to dinner as well.

Dinner

Many of these I have already mentioned, so I won’t be

The Red Sun

19 Fall 2016

redundant. I will elaborate on the one I have yet to mention: • Maria’s Diner: This is a great old-school diner with delicious home cooking, and everything is reasonably priced.

• Press Box: The Press Box is not only a great sports bar that offers a variety of events, specials and fresh brews on tap but It has a very relaxed atmosphere with a lot of affordable food specials to choose from. It offers great weekly and daily food specials, as well as happy hour offers.

Fine dining/upscale options

• Bistro 197: From duck wings to steak, everything is superb. I love the burgers and anything it features. Everything is made with the best ingredients, but that can be said with any restaurant I’ve mentioned.

• Canales’: Great Italian restaurant.

• Vona’s: Another highend Italian restaurant, and its food is amazing.

• La Parrilla: Amazing

sangrias and the chef is superb. He can cook anything from gourmet seafood to steaks. You won’t be disappointed. He often does free dinners for the community, especially for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

• The Red Sun Fire Roasting Co.: Seafood, pizza, steak or salads, you cannot go wrong with this place.

The staff is very friendly and provides excellent customer service.

• Alex’s on the Water: With high-end classic American food, there is such a wide variety from lamb to steak that there is no real way to begin or end with the variety. But, the food is excellent if you have the cash to spend.

• GS Steamers Bar & Grill: Great food. I love its Italian and seafood options.

• Thai Rose: Delicious!

Its curry options are reasonably priced. There are more expensive yummy items, but I always get the pineapple shrimp curry and Thai tea. It costs me less than $15.

•Lombado’s Bridie Manor: This restaurant is located right on the canal. It is great for hosting dinner parties and events. It offers a wide selection for lunch, dinner and banquet menus. It is the perfect place to host dinners for clubs, with parents or visitors, and any fine dining event you wish to have. It also has bar menus as well. There are affordable options as well as higher end dining. For more information, visit www.bridiemanor.com.

Personally, I do not mind paying more for excellent quality and tasteful food. All of these places do offer some menu items that you can afford.

I strongly suggest looking up their menus online.

Or, stop into these places to just check them out and look at their menus. Every place I mentioned has a unique atmosphere.

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College Life

The College-Community Connection Campus-City Relations Committee becomes economic development catalyst

By Lou Sorendo It’s a town-gown relationship. The chemistry between SUNY Oswego and the city of Oswego impacts the quality of life in the Port City.

The bond between the college and city can result in positive consequences, but can be tenuous as well. Navigating through the journey is the city of Oswego-sponsored Campus-City Relations Committee, chaired by Robert Close.

Exemplifying the advantage of having such a committee was shown this past spring. Traditionally, when off-campus students leave en masse when classes are over, a great deal of trash — including furniture and food — is left on the curbside.

Given that most students are not responsible for trash pickup, the CCRC garnered the support of mayor Billy Barlow and the city of Oswego and directed a letter to property owners urging them to do whatever it takes to clean up trash left behind.

SUNY Oswego does reinforce the need to clean up with its Leave Green initiative, pleading with students to take care of recyclables or donate unwanted items to a human services organization.

The letter helped to fortify those efforts.

“Within days of the students moving out, everything was significantly better addressed and moved much quicker,” said Close, noting that City Hall officials have always been receptive to CCRC suggestions and feedback.

Close came to Oswego in 1986 and is a nuclear engineer for Exelon Corp., stationed at Nine Mile Point in Scriba.

He has been involved in the community in a volunteer sense for many years. He was previously active with Harborfest and the city planning board.

He was appointed to the committee in 2008 during Randy Bateman’s second term as mayor.

“I was raised by a mother and father who were very active volunteers in the communities where I grew up,” he said.

“I bring energy to our meetings and solicit ideas. I always feel like there are really smart people representing SUNY administration, the Student Association, city businesses and our Oswego Police

Department that are seated around you. It’s about getting their ideas out and then making those ideas work,” he said. “These are people who are showing up as volunteers and using their personal time to contribute in a small way to make things better,” he added.

Shifting focus

When the CCRC was created, its mission statement leaned more toward insuring proper communication between the campus and city with respect to quality of neighborhoods, off-campus housing and knowledge of codes and the law.

“It provided open channels to bring people together to work through issues, including things like housing and parking,” Close said. “I saw an opportunity to expand that vision and move it much more strongly into an understanding and development of the economic benefits the city sees from this campus being located here.”

On the flip side, Close emphasizes the importance of the campus community knowing what is happening in the city, whether it is event-based or potentially a community-service opportunity for students.

“We get a lot of feedback from businesses, the SUNY Oswego administration and students expressing their appreciation that we’re putting the word out,” he said.

Businesses enjoy the opportunity to know when upcoming SUNY Oswego weekend events are happening in order to understand and target certain audiences, he added.

The CCRC is budgeted for $2,000 with funds coming from the city and SUNY Oswego. It is largely spent on materials needed to communicate various messages.

The CCRC does a series of mailings throughout the year for businesses to make them aware of upcoming special SUNY events.

“We do that in part to ensure businesses know when to roll out the red carpet,”

Bob Close

Close said.

The committee offers area businesses signage that welcomes incoming students or congratulates graduates as well as provides them information regarding the economic impact of the activities.

The committee also offers an annual Cruising the City Event in August where up to 20 businesses become involved in the Student Activities Fair.

Close said about 4,000 students walk through the fair at the Campus Center, where dedicated space is reserved for city businesses.

“We continue to ask for more space each year because of the demand,” he said.

One of the longest running events sponsored by the SA and supported by the CCRC is the fall and spring off-campus housing fair.

About a dozen property owners and managers set up shop at the Campus Center to solicit housing opportunities.

Close said prospective landlords who want to participate are vetted

before taking part in the event.

Packets of information are also distributed at the fair with information for students regarding laws and their rights as tenants.

Close also noted a more recent event that the CCRC has gotten behind — student admitting days in April where students who have been accepted to SUNY Oswego come to visit the Port City.

Upwards of 1,000 prospective SUNY students visit on about a half-dozen of these admitting days. Each student brings an average of two family members.

Through the cooperation of SUNY Oswego’s Admissions Department, the committee provides students and parents with information about the city and free copies of The Palladium-Times newspaper.

Businesses are made aware of these dates to encourage students to enroll at SUNY Oswego and become part of the community.

SUNY Oswego has created a Twitter account that allows the CCRC to use hash tags for communication purposes.

Serving as mediator

The committee is part of city government and is appointed by the mayor. It is comprised of business owners, college administrators and Student Association representatives.

Close brings these stakeholders together to not only conduct regular business, but to also explore new ideas.

Oftentimes, it will deal with a relationship challenge between the two entities.

“We try to make a first pass at connecting people who need to talk,” said Close, noting information sharing and resolving issues are paramount.

“This committee was born from the fires of neighborhood relationships between our SUNY Oswego students living in off-campus housing and our permanent, yearround property owners and renters in the early ‘90s,” Close said.

He said this sometimes-contentious occur-

C

rence is happening far less frequently, thanks to efforts by “hard-working” common councilors as well as the Oswego Police Department’s Office of Neighborhood Assistance and its walk-around management policy, Close said.

Close added the college administration gives the committee conduits for communication directed toward students in regards to expectations, codes and law.

The CCRC tries to facilitate and contribute in helping students become engaged with the community.

He said Greeks and clubs are always looking for community service opportunities.

“They come to us sometimes for assistance in making those connections,” he said.

“We do not lack requests for opportunities that they are looking for,” he said.

He has observed a number of businesses in Oswego — such as IHeartOswego, Cre8 Solutions and Zink Shirts — who successfully utilize interns.

He said businesses see a real value in having a relationship with the college.

“We have strongly pursued helping businesses understand what’s happening at the college and what resources are available, and they have responded in kind by seeking out individuals interested in being interns,” he said.

“Whether they are from the Bronx, Long Island or Buffalo, they get to know this town better. That’s important when they go back to campus and interface with their peers,” he said.

The committee also played a small role in downsizing the tradition of the “Bridge Street Run.” Historically, students would celebrate the last day of classes in the spring with a pub-crawl along Bridge Street.

However, tragedy struck during the 2014 version in the form of drug overdoses.

As a result, SUNY Oswego and the SA developed OzFest, a series of concerts and on-campus activities seen as an alternative to the Bridge Street Run. “All we really did was make sure that city officials were cognizant of what SUNY Oswego was doing and that all the stakeholders were talking,” Close said. “The results speak for themselves.”

In 2015, the last days of classes were virtually “event free” and a “non-newsworthy night for our local TV stations and newspapers,” he added.

“This year, the gears all turned smoothly and we didn’t even need to add it to our monthly meeting agenda,” Close said. “Everybody again was talking and communicating. SUNY Oswego has created a viable alternative.”

Fall 2016 20

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College Life Coffee makers are permitted in dorms but not microwaves, toasters, toaster ovens, sandwich makers, grilling machines and hot plates, among other items.

eating

Thinking Outside the Dorm Hot dorm meals that won’t result in disciplinary action

By Melissa Stefanec

T

he college lifestyle is a demanding one.

Between classes, homework, jobs, extracurricular activities and everyday life, it can be challenging to get to the dining halls.

Many students turn to pre-packaged food or eating out to catch some calories when the dining halls aren’t open, but there are plenty of delicious meals you can make in your dorm room.

According to SUNY Oswego’s Residence Life and Housing frequently-asked-questions page, popcorn makers, coffee makers and hot pots (with thermostats) are permitted provided they are UL-approved and in good working order.

However, you can’t have microwaves, toasters, toaster ovens, sandwich makers, grilling machines, hot plates, slow cookers, crock pots or rice cookers in a dorm room.

It may seem like you are sentenced to a life of popcorn and cold toaster pastries in your dorm room, but there are a lot things you can

make in a hot pot or coffee maker.

As with any appliance, you need to cook with observation and caution. Don’t leave any food unattended and monitor your meal’s cooking progress. Don’t have your name be synonymous with The Great Coffee Pot Ban of 2016.

The machine — The allmighty coffee maker To start, buy yourself two coffee makers. You can make a surprising amount of food in a coffee pot, especially the traditional, glass carafe, drip machines. If you have a pod-based coffee maker for your java, get a traditional coffee pot for your food.

• Soup for one — Instead of heating up water, just put the soup in the glass carafe and heat it up. You can even eat it right out of the pot assuming you have a potholder on the hot bottom.

• Mashed potatoes — Fill your pot to the maximum fill line and fill the res-

ervoir. Just cut and slice your favorite kind of potatoes and cook them in the carafe.

Run your machine like you would as usual and leave the burner on until the potatoes are cooked. Move them into another bowl to add spices, butter and milk.

• Loads of oats — Just heat up the water in your coffee pot by running it through the machine and make yourself some instant oatmeal. You can also go for the old-fashioned kind of oats, but just make sure to stir often to keep the oats from burning.

• Fondue — You can melt just about anything in a coffee pot. You can also place oven-safe dishware on your coffee pot’s hot surface. You can use a ramekin to melt chocolate on a low heat. Mix in a little coconut oil or peanut butter. Then just dip in fresh fruit in for a gourmet dessert in your dorm room.

• Eat your veggies — You can steam veggies right in your pot. Simply place cut-up, fresh vegetables in the ca-

rafe.

Run about a quarter cup of water through the machine. Let the veggies sit in the hot water and steam for about five minutes, and voila, you ate vegetables today.

• Hard-boiled eggs — If you are a fan of hard-boiled eggs or egg salad, look to your coffee maker. Fill the pot with water to the maximum fill line. Put the water in the reservoir. Then, put no more than six eggs in the carafe. Run your coffee pot as usual and let the eggs sit for 10 minutes. Peel and enjoy.

• Hot dogs — If you are into boiled hot dogs, fill the pot with water to the maximum fill line. Put the water in the reservoir. Run your pot as you normally would and cook the hotdogs or tofu dogs to your liking.

The machine — The seemingly humble hot pot • Macaroni without the cheese — Dorm life doesn’t have to be all easy mac and cheesy. You can make any type of pasta in a hot pot. Then, just pour room temperature jarred sauce on it while it’s hot, or put the sauced pasta back in the hot pot for a little heating.

Tortellini a la vodka sauce, here you come. You can also make pasta salad by adding fresh veggies and Italian dressing to cooked pasta.

• Study-hour nachos — Just heat a can of your favorite chili in the hot pot

21 Fall 2016

and top tortilla chips with the chili.

Add shredded cheese, diced veggies, guacamole or sour cream. You can also swap out chili for refried beans.

• Poached eggs — Put a teaspoon of vinegar and some salt into boiling water.

Cook for about a minute and lift out with a slotted spoon.

• Tuna casserole — For a hardier meal, add tuna and canned peas to your favorite instant macaroni and cheese or pasta.

• Mexican layer dip — Heat refried beans and storebought, pre-cooked chicken in your hot pot. Layer vegetables, cheese, guacamole, sour cream or plain yogurt, and anything else your heart desires. This dip stores well in the fridge, so there can be seconds.

The take-away Just because you are in the dorms doesn’t mean you have to be sentenced to a life on cup of noodles, ramen, and macaroni and cheese.

When the dining halls are closed, a warm and fulfilling meal can be found in your very own dorm room and be delivered by sanctioned devices.

There are lots of recipes on the Internet that focus on cooking using sanctioned devices, so run a search and think outside the dorm.

College Life

Grads Unveil Top-10 List of Musts Before, During Winter

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SUNY Oswego students must conform to often challenging weather conditions

E

very student, particularly those new to the Oswego scene, needs to be prepared for Port City winters.

With predictions calling for above-normal snowfall for this coming winter, students will want to be ready to take on the challenges that the season presents.

Lauren Donnelly recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in human development at SUNY Oswego. She is now an aide for special needs individuals with Halo Network, based in Amityville.

Donnelly recently unveiled her top-10 list of things to do before Old Man Winter creeps into the weather scene.

1. Have plenty of snow gear — Even if it might not be snowing, you need to have at least two sets of spare gloves. You’re fingers will freeze on your walk to class.

Prepare for the worst.

2. Stock up on snacks and alcohol — There was nothing more frustrating than being snowed in — or not being able to leave the house because of freezing temperatures — and having to make the journey outdoors

to buy some goodies from the store.

3. Be creative and fun — Maybe I just lucked out by living with such unique girls, but one night it was too cold to leave the house so we built a fort using chairs, blankets and pillows. Other nights we would play Mario Party, Cards Against Humanity or charades.

4. Attention off-campus students — Make sure there are plenty of shovels and salt for your driveway and sidewalks. Even when our landlord plowed the driveway, we still had to pave a path for us to get to our front door. Most of the time we would walk in kneedeep footprints.

5. Movie nights — You can never watch too many movies, especially on a cold, snowy night. Oswego’s weather has allowed me to watch many classic movies that have become some of my favorites.

6. Space heaters — These are extremely useful for off-campus housing. Our house was so poorly insulated that it basically shook every time the wind blew, therefore allowing the freezing air to get in. The space

heater warmed up the whole living room. Be aware of any fire hazards.

7. Cooking — You would be amazed at the amount of food four girls can consume in one night. Maybe we all had appetites of a cow (cows have four stomachs) but we concocted some interesting appetizers/meals/desserts.

My personal favorite was fried macaroni and cheese balls, a little messy but worth it.

8. Take a cab or bus — If you must go out in the frigid weather because you cannot fight your alcoholic temptations, do not walk anywhere.

There have been multiple cases of students getting frostbite on their way home from the bar. Don’t be that student.

9. Stay in the library — If you are on campus in the library and it is a complete whiteout, wait it out. It will pass hopefully, but if you decide to do the walk back to the dorms, your face will hurt and you will most likely look like the abominable snowman.

10. Make the best of it — Oswego is a beautiful town in the summer but during the colder months it is a winter wonderland!

Don’t be afraid to make a snow angel or have a snowball fight. If you’re attending SUNY Oswego, you’re going to learn to love the snow.

A word to the wise Hannah McNamara recently earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in public relations at SUNY Oswego.

She is handling marketing for Sunset Bay USA, an event venue in Buffalo, and serves as an AmeriCorps member for Project S.O.A.R. Like Donnelly, she has

some veteran advice designed to make this coming winter a bit more tolerable.

1. Make sure you have an ice scraper for your car!

There is nothing worse than waking up before class to find a foot of snow surrounding your car. Make sure you are prepared for this because it is bound to happen a handful of times while living in Oswego.

2. Invest in a nice pair of snow boots and a heavy-duty winter jacket. Without these, the walks to class can be unbearable.

3. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to invest in a hat, gloves, scarf, and a facemask either.

Believe me, come winter no one cares about looking good on his or her commute to class. It is all about comfort and staying warm during Oswego winters.

4. Learn to have fun in the winter months. Ski resorts, snowmobile trails, ice skating rinks, and places to go tubing surround Oswego.

Take advantage of the snowy winter days because there will be a lot of them.

5. If you live off campus, set aside some extra money for your gas bill during the winter months.

6. No matter what you do, don’t walk out onto Lake Ontario during the winter months. Although it looks

beautiful, it’s extremely dangerous!

7. Change your scenery during the wintery months and stop at The Coffee Connection in downtown Oswego to do your homework.

It’s a cozy and welcoming place to study or relax in the winter!

8. Pay attention to the winter parking rules and bans in Oswego County during the winter months.

Due to plowing, certain sides of the road will be banned for parking during certain days of the week. Pay attention to this so you don’t wake up to a ticket.

9. Most people tend to get sick during the winter months in Oswego so make sure to eat healthy, stay active and get sleep. However, your best bet will be to keep the medicine cabinet equipped with common cold medicine just in case.

10. Don’t count on having a ton of snow days just because you go to college in Oswego. Oswego County is prepared for snowstorms and workers will do whatever is necessary to ensure roads are cleared for you to get to class. However, you might get lucky if you sleep with your pajamas inside out. Good luck!

Fall 2016 22

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College Life

health

Eating Disorders at College Group estimates one in four students suffer from some eating disorder

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

A

bout 25 percent of college students engage in bulimic behaviors — such as purging — to lose weight and nearly 91 percent of women students use dieting for weight control, according to eatingdisorderhope.com.

Perhaps someone you know has struggled with an eating disorder. You may become acquainted with people with similar struggles while you attend college.

Eating disorders can begin innocently enough as a health kick to drop a few extra pounds or improve nutrition.

But the person can slide into disordered eating (such as fad dieting) and eventually an eating disorder as the focus becomes control over appearance and calories instead of good health. Excessive weight loss and malnourishment can result in organ failure and death.

Using extreme dietary restrictions, excessive exercising, laxative abuse or purging usually ties into an underlying anxiety issue, according to Erin Johnstone licensed mental health counselor practicing in Camillus.

“These prove to be a coping mechanism,” she said.

Leaving home, living more independently, meeting deadlines, tacking a tough academic load, rocky young adult relationships: college is a stressful time. Johnstone said that turning to one area they can control — caloric intake — is how some stressed-out collegians find an unhealthy outlet.

College living provides an ideal environment to foster eating disorders for many other reasons. The student living on campus receives less supervision from adults. Leading a busy life can mean erratic meals — and less chance that someone else will notice if meals are skipped or purged.

Students on a meal plan may overindulge because of so many food choices, then eliminate the excess calories in an unhealthful way. Parties, late-night study snacks and unexpected schedule changes can complicate eating regular, nutritious meals.

It may be difficult to recognize an eating disorder in a friend. Most people with an eating disorder hide their

23 Fall 2016

behavior, so simply calling it out usually won’t work.

Johnstone recommends offering a listening ear.

“SomeJohnstone one like a roommate or friend should initially be there to listen,” she said. “If they can be open with people in their lives and not feel pushed, over time, the campus counseling center can be a great place to start. They may need to see a doctor to see if they’re medically stable.”

Since many people with eating disorders rely on these disorders to deal with their

emotional issues, bringing attention to the problem can backfire.

“An eating disorder can become the boyfriend, best friend and everything to that person,” Johnstone said.

“Refrain from judgment and remember you’re their friend, not their doctor.”

Maintaining open communication and trust can go a long way when a person with an eating disorder decides she wants help. Like any compulsive behavior, an eating disorder is more than about food. It’s about control and an unhealthy attempt to cope with stressors. Beating an eating disorder won’t happen overnight, but the right support and as needed, professional help can make the journey easier.

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health

Are Your Allergies and Asthma Ready for College?

Start preparations early to control symptoms

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oing away to college for the first time can be nerve-wracking, and questions abound. How will you find your way around? Will your classes be too hard? What will the other students be like? Students who suffer from allergies and asthma may also be asking: “Can I keep my symptoms under control?”

“College is a new environment for young people,” says allergist Stanley Fineman, past president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). “A different sort of preparation has to take place for those with allergies and asthma going away to school.

They need to consider dorm food, dorm environment and perhaps a new climate if

they’re moving to a different part of the country. Students can work with their allergists to put together an action plan to address triggers and keep symptoms under control.”

Following are tips from ACAAI to help college students stay safe, have fun – and enjoy a new learning experience!

• Start prepping well before you leave — If Mom and Dad have been handling allergist appointments or picking up prescriptions, it’s time for you — the almost-freshman — to take over. Taking responsibility for your healthcare needs before you go is an important transition step. Figure out what’s involved in keeping yourself healthy and what triggers to avoid. Contact

the school’s office of disabilities if special provisions are needed, and make sure they have any documentation needed to provide special services.

• Study up! On what’s available on campus — Find out what the campus health service provides before you arrive.

Can they fill your prescriptions, and do they understand the nature of your symptoms and triggers?

Ask if they offer nebulizer treatments or can transport students to a nearby hospital or urgent care facility. If you use a peak flow meter, bring it with you, along with spacers and an adequate supply of up-to-date prescription medications. If you carry an epinephrine auto-injector,

make sure you have at least two on hand.

• Cleaning while at college? — Contrary to popular belief, you may have to clean while at college – especially if you’re allergic to mold or dust. Take the cleaning supplies you know work for you. Remember your allergy-proof pillow and mattress casings to protect you from dust mites.

Carry and store your belongings in airtight plastic containers to cut down on dust, and keep dorm windows closed to prevent pollen and dust from entering.

• Food, glorious food — College dorm food, while sometimes awful, can also be dangerous if you have food allergies. Your school should have special

accommodations for students with food allergies. Look into how the cafeterias confirm the ingredients in the food they serve.

• Let others be part of your team — Tell your roommate and friends about your allergies, how to recognize a severe allergic reaction, known as anaphylaxis, and where you keep your epinephrine. They should also be aware of what foods and triggers you have to avoid, to help keep you safe.

For more information about allergies and asthma, and to locate an allergist in your area, visit AllergyAndAsthmaRelief.org.

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By Taisha Laird

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Mugs and Motors, which includes tons of classic cars, or often hold fundraisers to help nonprofit organizations, such as Fort Ontario.

It’s been great having the opportunity to network and meet different people who I normally wouldn’t have engaged with in a conversation.

Being able to treat myself to different things as Canal Commons has helped me find balance from my stressful life, which includes two jobs and freelance work — in addition to taking classes at SUNY Oswego.

I highly recommend any student or faculty to check out Canal Commons and explore downtown Oswego.

Here’s a summary of some the businesses located at the commons: • Bistro 197 The Bistro 197 has been bringing progressive American cuisine and comfort food to the local Oswego community since 2011. Opening

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There’s much more to Oswego than SUNY, the bars and Walmart. Try the shops at Canal Commons anal Commons in downtown Oswego has always been my spot to take a break.

I sit in the commons and do my homework and eat. It has always been a great treat to drink the best coffee in town at Taste The World Café, grab a pastry at Chelle’s Bakeshop or pick up gourmet candies at Man in The Moon Candies.

The commons — on West First Street — is full of great small shops that students wouldn’t know about unless they lived downtown to explore. I promise you, it is worth the free bus ride to downtown with your student I.D. card.

You see a lot of locals coming in and out of commons. There are police officers who come in with their children and spouses, local government officials, faculty from local schools, business owners and a wide variety of people.

Canal Commons businesses host local events such

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originally as a cozy storefront bistro, the property has since expanded to include a bar and lounge specializing in unique, handmade cocktails, with a large selection of craft beers from across America.

• Lakeside Artisans.

This is Oswego’s premier gift shop and art gallery. A retail shop offering professional fine art and quality craft arts created by local artists and artisans. Great place to buy gifts.

• Man in the Moon Candies.

This is an old-fashioned candy store with something for everyone. It bills itself as “The sweetest shop in town.”

• The Good Guys Barbershop.

This is a traditional, full-service shop that boasts four full-time barbers for low wait time, complimentary beverages (coffee, water, beer), and men’s and boys’ haircuts.

Go to www.canalcommons.com for a complete list of businesses.

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new computer

5 Tips for Laptop Shopping Going cheap won’t pay off in the long run

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

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f you’re in the market for a new laptop for school, the choices can seem overwhelming. Chris Eaker, network engineer for Computer Outlet in Oswego, said that just a few factors can help you avoid buyer’s regret.

1. How will you use the laptop?

“Someone who’s going to school for writing won’t need the same as a graphic design major will need,” Eaker said.

If you love gaming, make sure your laptop can handle it with an adequate graphics card.

2. Where will you use it?

If you plan on traveling with your laptop frequently, choose a lighter weight, 14inch size. But for other users, larger size will improve the experience.

“Graphic design majors may want 17-inch,” Eaker said.

3. Do you prefer a brand?

According to Eaker, the major brands use similar components.

“The mother boards are different,” he added. “It comes down to personal preference.”

But going cheap won’t pay off in the long run.

“Get something that will stick with you throughout college,” Eaker said. “The $200 Wal-Mart special won’t get you through.”

He recommends a model with a 2.2 gigabyte (GB) hard drive, quad core processor and 4 gigabytes (GB) of RAM minimally, but 12 or more is ideal.

4. Do you need a bargain?

A refurbished model can help, but Eaker said it’s safer to purchase a used model in person, where a brickand-mortar store can more quickly repair or replace it if something goes wrong.

“When you order online, you may be taking a gamble,” he said. “If you deal with a store, you can handle it with one trip. I’ve had online disputes take two months to settle.”

5. Are you careful with equipment?

Most brands offer an extended warranty, but some can cost up to half the price of a new laptop. But if you lend equipment and tend to experience electronics mishaps, the extended warranty with accident coverage may be worthwhile.

Eaker likes www. squaretrade.com. He feels it’s

a better value, as users can register new or used equipment.

“If they can’t fix it in five days, they send you a check for the cost of a new one, the full amount of the price you paid, not what it’s worth now,” Eaker said.

Back-up: Cloud or Flash Drives?

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egardless of the type of computer your purchase, develop the habit of regularly backing up your data. Most people use either flash drives or cloud back-ups. Flash drives are cheap and portable; however, if you experience a flash drive failure, it’s nearly impossible to get data off them, since their malfunctions are mechanical, not electronic.

As they fill up, you’ll need to delete data or purchase more drives.

Cloud storage is relatively inexpensive, but not a one-time purchase. You can schedule automatic back-ups, making the process easy, plus you can sign in anywhere to work on projects. But once you reach the upper limits of the storage capacity, you

will need to buy more storage space. Although cloud storage companies strive to

secure data, there’s always a chance that the data could be compromised.

Magazine Spotlights School of Education Renovations

Rice Creek Field Station; and the Village student townhouse community.

The college’s effort to bring all six departments of the School of Education into a rejuvenated 21st century home continues through January 2018, with a full renovation under way for Wilber Hall’s three-story tower. All SUNY Oswego projects are built to meet the gold certification standards of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

The School of Education’s first phases included a 13,700-square-foot addition for new state-of-theart technology labs and a new Field Placement Office opened nearly four years ago on Wilber Hall’s lower level, and a renewed Park Hall and its new connector to Wilber, which debuted in January 2014. Partners for the projects included Stantec and Bergmann Associates.

The cover story, in particular, calls attention to the school’s laboratories for transportation; energy and power; technical drawings and engineering graphics; materials processing for wood, polymers and metals; and electronics/mechatronics.

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he SUNY Oswego School of Education’s renewal appears as a showcase for cutting-edge facility designs and equipment for teachers of the future as the cover story of the June issue of College Facilities Planning & Management.

The national magazine aimed at college and university decision makers published a cover photo showing the transportation laboratory in Park Hall, and featured several other “unique and highly specialized spaces” in a Facility Focus story with multiple photos.

The recognition is the latest for new and renovated SUNY Oswego facilities and their designers and contractors over the past several years, including LEED Gold certification awarded to three projects: Richard S. Shineman Center for Science, Engineering and Innovation;

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College Life

classes

The Courses You Choose Check with other students before you choose some unique courses

By Morgan Altland

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any things can determine how your time at SUNY Oswego will be. Who you choose to spend time with, how you get involved, in which hall you live, etc. However, the No. 1 factor that will determine your experience here is what courses you choose to take.

Be aware, some courses may mislead you. Don’t just choose a class based on its title. It may seem like a good idea, but it can lead you to a drawn-out mess of a class with expectations being dropped.

“Dinosaurs!” is a prime example of this. Immediately when this course was introduced a while back students were drawn to its title and wanted to enroll. Many who take the course are disappointed. Sure it may seem like it’s going be a study of the creators kids grew up loving from their toys and films such as “Jurassic Park.”

Yet it ends up being a lot of build up to how dinosaurs came to be with a dissatisfy-

ing pay off.

Other courses are hidden, but talked about throughout the campus. The Harry Potter course is one of them. The course gives students the opportunity to dive deeper into the world J.K. Rowling created and discuss different topics that some who haven’t read the books or watched the films even know about. The course was not offered in 2016, but perhaps next semester there will be the chance to dive into the wizarding world again.

“Human-Canine Interaction” is another course that remains hidden this year. If you are wondering why this course is often talked-about

by students, it is a course where students can play with dogs. Of course, there is actual work for this course. It is a psychology credit so there could be a lot to do with the course, but anyone who likes dogs can see the appeal. This course also is currently not available to students, so be sure to keep your eyes out.

A great tip to find something that is different than what is offered is to talk to other students about professors they’ve had and the ways they teach the course.

Two professors may teach the same course, but they can go in completely opposite directions.

This can be seen with “Fiction Writing: Advanced.”

In the fall it is taught by Robert O’Conner and it focuses on the creation and discussion of longer works of fiction. Anyone hoping to be a novelist would benefit from taking this course.

However, Leigh Wilson teaches the course when it is offered in the spring. The focus is flash fiction, shorter pieces of fiction writing and it involves an event known as graphic flash where students from the class will team up with both art and cinema and screen studies students to adapt their story into different forms. The course is great for students who want to learn how to collaborate with others and how to adapt what they create.

Whatever you choose to take is more than a CRN on myoswego. Make sure you ask about the course, look into what you want to take and keep on eye on anything that may catch your interest.

You never know what you might find if you dig deeper.

website SUNY Oswego Home Page Wins International Award

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he home page of oswego.edu earned an international honor through the APEX Awards for communications in many fields.

The Award of Excellence in the home pages and individual web pages category recognized the oswego.edu home page gaining a new look earlier this year during the web team's redevelopment project. It gave the site a refreshed appearance and a new Drupal content management system behind the scenes.

The reinvention of the

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front page featured large visuals; surfacing of the most common tasks for current students, staff and faculty; integration of social media and other storytelling; and calls to action for key tasks for prospective students such as applying for admission, scheduling a campus tour and requesting information.

Kelli Ariel, Rick Buck, Joe Fitzsimmons and Tim Nekritz of the college's Office of Communications and Marketing were primarily involved in creating and executing the award-winning

home page.

The APEX awards recognized outstanding work in a wide range of industries in 11 major categories and 100 subcategories.

"APEX awards are based on excellence in graphic design, editorial content and the ability to achieve overall communications excellence," John De Lellis, editor and publisher of Communication Concepts Inc., said in announcing the awards.

"With over 1,600 entries, competition was exceptionally intense."

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