Final Post: The Epic Piece, The Names and a Final Farewell

Part of this is mentioned on my Facebook. But I am mentioning it here for the people who don’t already know.

What is in each name?
What is its purpose?
Why was it made?
What does it all mean?
What is an end?

These are some questions that are intriguing to anyone, especially the people who are on the piece. Hello there. This is Scott Farr here. And as of right now, I have done one of the boldest things ever in my life. This piece represents a formal end to a college career. Debate all you want about what I have done, but first hear me out, and all of your questions will be answered…

1. The planning

I actually didn’t have any kind of special plans of going out for my graduation. But it wasn’t until after making the two Yankees pieces that I felt unsatisfied. Those were two great pieces that I made, and while they were successful to a degree, I felt I could do more. It was a feeling that I had over the winter break. Essentially it was those two pieces that made me think of an ultimate piece which could not just honor two people, but many. So I thought about it constantly. I was determined to put together such a piece that could make me feel that I had accomplished something for my last bittersweet semester. And so, the Epic Piece was born. It wasn’t until I came back to college that I started to make preparations. I worked on other pieces at the time as I was thinking more and more about it. As a matter of fact, those pieces I made in Stained Glass II were important in their own way. They helped train me in different respects as I made my way toward the Epic Piece. It was in waiting for so long. Longer than my chessboard. But it wasn’t until the chessboard was finished that I could get started. But while it was in waiting, I went through quite a few different designs. The first one was going to take up the whole board and have everyone’s name be on individual pieces (it would have consisted of more than 300 pieces). But when I saw the size of the kiln, I had to change that design because it would have taken forever to do. The next design is pretty much like the current one except for the fact that I had to break up the hexagons into pieces because then I could fire more pieces at a time. Now that it was done, I had to get the glass…

2. Trip to Concord and beyond

Getting the glass was a quest in itself. I needed a really large piece that the glass studio had. I certainly wasn’t going to try the lady in Troy (she’s very nice but she overcharges for glass supplies). I heard from Sarah (my teacher) that there was a woman who owned a glass store in Concord, NH that sold glass as large as I wanted. So one day, I took a 3 hour tour (Gilligan’s Island theme coming in right now) back and forth to Concord by following directions on Mapquest (even more bold). I eventually arrived, parked at a pay meter, put in money and went inside. What a sight! There was some of the best glass that I’ve ever seen in front of my very eyes. I met with the lady and she helped me out with getting the right size (and it was JUST right!). After that, she wrapped the glass in cardboard and packing paper and taped it up. I then carefully had to go bring that glass to the car on a windy day. There were times that the glass slightly moved in my hands as I had to go across the street and put it in the back of the Wrangler. I put it in the safest place and then went into the car. The drive back was dangerous. When I was only about 35 minutes away from FPC, I was going a little too fast, and the wind, along with the snow made it difficult to stop at a red light. My car skidded and I was almost flipped around to face traffic going in the same direction that I was. And in the process, I almost got whiplash. But through it all, I was okay, and most importantly of all, so was the stained glass piece (still in one piece). I made it back to FPC safely and stored it in my room since it was too big to store in the stained glass lab. One night, when everyone was in their humble abodes, I went over to the stained glass lab (with only a few people seeing me) and cut it into two irregularly shaped hexagons. It was done this way because I could fit more names on the piece. After I cut them, I bought some more glass that would fill up around the two hexagons. I cut them into triangles and they fit beautifully into the piece to make it a solid rectangle. Now that I had the pieces together, all cut and grinded up, it was time to paint the names on the glass…

3. Painting

Wow! What a mixture to get those pieces painted. I originally had trouble painting from the get-go because it was so tough to mix the paint and try to follow the font I had printed out. Luckily Sarah showed me the correct process with painting. This was no ordinary paint that I was using, first of all. It was paint that had a little lead in it so it could heat and stay on the glass better after being put in the kiln. After that, I learned to put the paint on a glass slab, mix it up and drop in four drops of clover and a drop of lavender to help the base. After that, I was on my way! The task was tedious and uncomfortable. The original piece was supposed to have over 250 names, but as I discovered more, it soon rose to the final total which I will reveal at the end. But the painting was long. After working in the tv station, I would go down there on most nights and paint with a tiny calligraphy pen. It was tough to keep the paint on that little thing. It would either have no paint or a lot of paint coming out at once. It was annoying but I persevered. After over 40 hours, I had painted all of the pieces and all of the names were displayed.

4. Firing, Foiling, soldering and putting on the finishing touches

Firing was pretty time consuming because there were so many other pieces being foiled at the same time and I had to wait for them to fire mine. It took four separate firings at four separate dates. There were times when I worried if I would get it done in time, especially when I was down to the last two. But they managed to get fired. Foiling it was not too hard since there were only 18 pieces to do. And soldering was easy too, although I had a scare after I had soldered half of it together before putting the frame on. There was a point when the pieces were stuck to the wooden board. I was not sure how I was going to get it off, but luckily the teacher was staying over night and I was able to get it off by having this special manila paper go under it and pry it off the board. Then after that, I had to put the frame on it because there were four pieces that would easily break off the corners. I had to be careful with how I framed it, and then from there I carefully soldered it together. Then the hooks had to be put on and I had to add a few more names to the frame that I had only realized after the pieces were kiln fired. While making the piece, I cut myself three times and burned myself twice (one of which blistered, and right when I finished soldering it! Never touch hot frames!).

5. Keeping it secret

This was the toughest part. Quite a few people in my stained glass class were on the piece and I had to hide it from them. Campus Safety came in quite a few times while I was working but were kind enough to keep it confidential. But the greatest dangers came from two people who almost found out. Vito Trigo almost found out when I was printing out an updated list of names for the piece. We both printed something at the same time and he was starting to look at what I had done before I quickly pulled it away from him. In the process I gave poor Vito a paper cut. I felt guilty about it and decided to create a special section on the piece where he would go. It was the least I could do. The other time almost happened when Brittany Bonesteel was giving a tour guide on a Saturday. I was working on the last part of painting the piece when she walked by showing off the stained glass room. Luckily she didn’t walk into the stained glass room or she would have discovered what I was doing (ironically, she almost discovered the piece I had made for her and Nate five months previously if she had stared into the room for a few more seconds while giving that tour guide). But Brittany’s a good girl who I’m sure would have kept the secret anyway and Vito is a good guy who would have done the same. But other than that, I was careful to cover my tracks and show it to as few people as possible.

6. The meaning

The meaning is quite simple. I made it to honor people I knew who worked in television, radio, newspaper, the Exchange, broadcasting, film and animation. It was quite a task to get the names secretly and to figure out as much as I could. The names in the hexagon are people who have worked in one of the seven areas. All of them worked hard to get there. The two triangle pieces represent two things: the top represents people who are not in any of those seven areas, but they still made significant contributions to one of those fields. The bottom piece represents the people who represent those fields and help out every one of us to do better in one of those fields. The edges are what reinforce the points. And the names carved into the frame are those that I realized after everything was said and done (my apologies to the few people). And if there was anyone I forgot, I made a small section to honor those that I forgot to put on the piece. That’s all there really is to it.

Quick Facts:

-Took around 140 hours to work on (that is including kiln time)
-Painting by itself took over 40 hours
-The piece itself cost around $70
-92% of the piece was painted left handed. The other 8% was right handed for the problematic spots
-Was to originally consist of each name on one individual piece, but considering time constraints, the design had to be radically changed
-Name Count: 351 (352 if you include “The Others” which represents the people I might have forgotten)
-The piece was inspired by two things: I wanted to do something for everybody that I got to see actively participate in Mass Comm and also for Brittany Bonesteel for giving me the confidence and inspiration to go through with it after her generosity with the two pieces I made for her and Nate (for that I’m thankful)
-No actual drawing on paper for this piece. Constructed entirely on the board as it was.
-2nd project to be painted (1st was a chess board)
-2nd project to have frame carved into (Two Yankees pieces before that)
-Considered the 2nd best piece I’ve worked on in my opinion
-Got cut three times and burned myself twice
-When I ran out of room, I started to carve names into the frame (only the 2nd time I’ve done it)

7. The names

Since I made the piece, I find it only fitting to put up the names of the individuals who have worked in the 7 areas and mention them properly and thank them for everything that they have done. Keep in mind that the names were put on the piece based on how they would fit best (but I did make a few exceptions). Let’s begin:

Dan Desrochers
Arikka Knights
Brittany Bonesteel
Steve Dodrill
Andy Rathier
Joe Fagella
James Gauvain
Derek Gorman
Michael Lavery
Jeff Cornell
Jason Gilbert
Nate Milevskiy
Laurie Spieker
Justin Martell
Derek Tishler
Jen DePaul
Robert Panza
Eric Jackman
Jimi Devine
Matt Fedorka
Cristal Pinnix
Suzanne Kowalski
Thomas Atwood
Nalina Shapiro
Shawn Fallon
Kamla Taylor
Juliana Spence
Corinne Goulet
David Vishniac
Jillian McElroy
Erica Jordan
Trent Spiner
Jerry Davydov
Angela Barone
Ben Lek
Greg King
Sarah Blake
Dylan Kiely
Kim Ruth
Adam Saada
Liam Lally
Daniel May
Kyle Corwin
Alex Potts
Frank Seijas
Paolo Corso
Sean Mayo
Kara Pioli
Sean Gelinas
Tyler Reynolds-Rothstein
Jackie Gallerston
Kayleigh Jaksina
Christopher Lawton
Michelle Sellers
Catherine Johnson
Katherine Porter
Fridrik Fridriksson
Jonathan Sencabaugh
Althea Gladstone
Jennifer Pandolfelli
Rachael Van Nostrand
Eric Zinkerman
Brendan Shaughnessy
Christina Amesquita
Charlotte Farber
Robert Peretta
Courtney Tivnan
Chris Lundquist
Brandon McLaren
Lateefah Ralston
Tracey McDermott
Lindsay Shelton
Hilary DelaBruere
Robbie Michaelson
Carol Pennamacoor
Michael Walsh
Dave “Lefty” Damietta
Kerrilyn Matarese
Brandon Shorey
Christian Dusaitis
Niels Gunnarsson
Mike Herrmann
Tony Catinella
Thuwaiba Thezine
Patricia Donahue
Michel Vitulano
Natalya Waye
William Pierce
Barrett Schenk
Landon Kolsky
Michael McGlone
Ashley Roberts
Phillip McCully
Barbara Gilcrist
Molly Jackson
Shianna Jones-Santana
Francesca Santoro
Thomas Ahronian
Alex Marinelli
Peter Lambert
Daniel Willard
Jack and Darcy
Kaitlyn Driggs
Abbie Tumbleson
Alex Burnet
Dave Mattern
Alma Bjelic
Sam Wilson
Zach Weight
Jack Brown
Rob Centore
Deidre Moore
Jessica Allsop
Caroline Choi
Daniel Fox
Alexa Bullock
Craig Power
Ashley Saari
Sarah Scoville
Roger Snell
Heather Miller
Lizette Morris
Siobhain Dooley
Nicole Buckholz
Steven Pleva
Claire Tratnyek
Joseph Deprofio
Brittany Barry
Jared Dibatista
Alicia Wunsch
Pete Charron
A.J. Kierstead
Kara Robinson
Thomas Cooper
Ryan Strayer
Kallie Moylan
Ken Botelho
Vicky Havey
Kyle Kruse
Josh Olsen
Molly Blais
Evan Fata
Eric Becker
Ashley Heile
Joe Smith
Matt Leite
Joe Malkin
James Thorpe
Casey Bolduc
Erin Freeman
Drew Forbes
Chris Potter
Patrick Deane
Jay Sansone
Erin Rafuse
Frank Romano
Erika McGowan
Dave O’ Brien
Meredith Butler
Diana Rudha
Jonathan Gordon
Evan Goyette
Chris Osborn
Tarrah Oktavec
Steve Altieri
Evan Mezansky
Cody Keiser
Charlie Bowden
Kimberly Fuller
Kevin Flanders
Ashley Steele
Marcus Banks
John Goulet
Rob Frankel
Wintana Girma
Dena Sutton
Harmony Gensch
James Sennott
Erika Wadman
Kevin Flanders
Danielle White
Nicole McKinnon
Caitlyn Taylor
Timothy Koster
Barry St. Onge
Chris Williams
Kevin Rossi
Tim Randall
Anjelica Benjamin
Ashley Owen
John Donahue
Rory Turner
Heather Cornell
Robert Weiner
Joe Tyman
Jessica Fantini
Justin Brown
James Targe
Michaela Sullivan
Beth Tedeschi
Stuart Mitchell
Mike Patinsky
Kyle Plaskiewicz
Matthew McCoubry
Rocco Tripaldi
Paul McGoldrick
Mike Passaretti
Emily Schwartz
Shane Vanderbilt
Jessica Champagne (Rose)
Stella Walling
Charles Handy
Michael Forrest
Allison Ayers
Derek Flodin
Shannon Sciria
John Keegan
Seth Graham
David Swift
Greg Scott
Eric Turcio
Amanda Melemed
Daniel Byrne
Audra Clark
Erik Lydell
Kyle Marsden-Kish
Stephanie Thomas-Lundberg
Twanisha Mitchell
Michelle Moncrieffe
Courtney Boardman
Pete “Blue” Spinizola
Christina Eichelkraut
Andrew Van Ness
Keith Brouliard
Dennis Millman
Jacob “Willow” Quimby
Angie Wirtanen
Craig O’Keefe
Meghann Wright
Matt Descoteau
Paige Matthews
Jacob McFarlane
Michael Gajdosik
Precious Lopez
Eric Casas-Rubin
Reid Fontaine
David Spurling
Katelyn Husereau
Sean Meehan
Brendan Potter
Lauren Underwood
Jessica Sperlangano
Alissa Silverman
Kerry Columbus
Kyle Provost
Chris Shukur
Jessica Lloyd
Dana Frazao
Steven Lacey
April Demers
A.J. Stewart
David Reid
Soren Wills
Doug Sharp
Lisa Shea
Tim McCarthy-Bercury
Ashlee Medeiros
Adam Fuchs
Jordan Handy
Phillip Enright
Megan Englehardt
Keith Minsinger
Stacey Salotto
Jason Potterton
Sara Estis
Taylor Frazao
Adam Peros
Tom Novak
Craig Shom
Frank Blais
Tony Chavira
Jon Galed
Matt Soule
Moe Watson
Jim Ford
Kelly Graham
Jon Mueller
Matt Naffah
Greg Gossling
Carlye Petoff
Lindsay Hoey
Sean Gill
Allen Baird
Danielle Forest
Coretta Ryan
Sarah Walsh
Kelly Stieh
Jessica Norton
Kelly Faulkner
Lee Wilson
Martta Makila
Jackie Dunster
John Garrity
Katrina Dody
Bryan Shultheiss
Nikki Berger
Mike D’eramo
Mark Patrylak
Eric Parkinson
Lisa Dougherty
Kelly Nolan
Chris Catalan
Simon Slyper
James Averyt
Katherine Surgen
Chris Sasso
Liz Ward
John Gray
Pierre Sully
Justin Powell
Adam Taylor
Tony Remillard
Justin McCoubry
Mike Jackman
Vito Trigo
Brad Thomas
Alice Becker
Chuck Crawford
Chad Cook
Terrell Boston Smith
Dennis Seavey
Zak Wood
Brian McCoy
Kurt Lortz
Ashlee Gallagher
Laura Blanchard
Brandon Mancuso
Nick White
David Muise
Cate Thurston
Rose Cowhig
Kristen Nevious
Paul Bush
Doug Monson
Phyllis Zrzavy
Richard Roth
Heather Weibel Tullio
Scott Farr


The end

So there is the Epic Piece for all of you. The piece will be donated to the school. But before I go, I want to dedicate this piece especially to the people on it for all of their hard work.

That just about does it. But before I go, I would like to thank some people on my list.

Kyle Provost: You helped get me started in the sports department in the first place. I learned a lot about sports from you.

Chris Shukur and Kerry Columbus: The broadcasters for the Hard Core sports guys will always dominate!

Andrew Van Ness: You helped me get back into radio and introduced me into broadcasting. For that I am grateful.

Matt Soule: For showing me other things in the television department. And for being flexible.

Frank Blais: For being a staple of FPC-TV 25. Period.

Angie Wirtanen: For getting me slowly introduced into the newscast and always appreciating my help.

Jon Galed and Landon Kolsky: I’ll miss the King of the Fitz and Skippy!

Matt Leite: For being one of the best broadcasters I’ve seen. Keep up the good work!

Nate Milevskiy: For being a good station manager. And for really helping me out with those field hockey games!

Dave Vishniac: For being another great broadcaster I’ve seen. And for staying on top of everything that sports broadcasting does on the radio.

Trent Spiner: I wish I had written more for the paper. But the time I spent with the Arrow was great, and you did a good job of expressing your opinions and making the paper better.

Michael Walsh: Thank you for giving me a chance to write sports articles for the Arrow. I could not have done it without you

Steve Dodrill: For being prepared and ready for all of the newscasts, broadcasts and the special events that you’ve done. All of that experience comes in handy! Keep up the good work!

Dan Desrochers: For being an awesome station manager and for being there when I needed help. I’ve always enjoyed working for the tv station and will miss you and the others there.

Arikka Knights: You do a wonderful job of managing the newscast. Thank you for letting me be talent and filling in for people.

Jeff Cornell: For being a part of some wonderful shows that we’ve done together. Go Whalers!

Derek Gorman: For being the best pick up guy at the tv station. You can do it all. Glad to have known you.

Robbie Michaelson: Outstanding job your first year. You remind me of myself (though you’re hitting everything a lot sooner than I did). Don’t forget what I taught you!

Ashley Roberts: Keep up the good work with Arts and Entertainment!

Sam Wilson: Same as with Ashley. And show off your reviewing skills too!

Natalya Waye and Erika McGowan: Great job with the Fitzies! A very generous thing to do! And also for being a part of the Arts and Entertainment shows and making every single one better this year. Keep up the great work.

Evan Goyette: You do great work at the tv station. Always remember that!

Marcus Banks: I'll miss the arguments that we had about sports, especially the Kobe-MJ debate.

Daniel May: For his expertise with video games. And also being there for shows. And for being a true friend.

Mike Lavery: Wish I was on your show. That’s all right! I had some fun times with you. And for some strange reason, I feel the urge to play some Bocce Ball.

James Gauvain: I will miss your humor. That’s a fact. And as of right now, you’ll probably be thinking of something humorous with what I just said. Whatever the case, I will miss the sarcasm.

Kerri Matarese and Brandon Shorey: I will miss the unique films you two made. One goes for a touching documentary that reaches out to the community. The other goes with a movie by the name of Schadenfreude (I loved the breaking of the 4th wall). I’ll miss you guys.

Josh Olsen, Sean Mayo, Chris Dusaitis, Phil McCully and Derek Tishler: Wow! The films you guys come up with! They are breathtaking! Learned a lot about Irish setters, DJs, skateboarding/weddings, being in the wrong place at the wrong time and HOT SAUCE!

Kyle Corwin: I enjoyed all of the times that we were together with filming, especially in the most amazing circumstances! And you make some breathtaking films. Definitely will not forget shooting scenes in your car any time soon!

Greg King: Glad to be a part of a film that you made. It is an honor and privilege.

Andy Rathier: Working on the sports shows with you was great! Especially since in most cases it was just the two of us in the control room!

Lefty (Dave) Damietta: Good luck in the next college that you go to. And for bringing your personality to every show!

Eric Jackman and Justin Martell: The Dynamic Duo shall prevail! And they will continue to get more audiences.

Jen DePaul: I will be graduating with you. And the possibilities are endless after college.

Matt Fedorka: Loved your radio show. I wished that I could have done a radio show with you this past semester. And I hope you can get back on the air soon.

Frank Seijas: I wish I could say goodbye to you personally. I wish I could see you when you got back. But I won’t forget the times that we had together, especially in the news class (oh those packages!). I’ll also miss the delicious cooking that you make (pasta alfredo with a little spicy kick! I love it!).

Robert Frankel and Kyle Kruse: Two of the most amazing mass comm./lacrosse players I know. Had to get you guys in here!

The Exchange (Bobby Panza, Jason Gilbert, Dena Sutton, Sarah Blake, Mike McGlone, Juliana Spence, Jimi Devine, Chris Potter and Molly Jackson): Thanks for putting out a great issue week after week. And for putting up with my shenanigans (He! He! He!). But you guys work hard to get it out on a weekly basis.

John Spence: Because I feel the need to get the word out about this guy (he’s the most popular guy in school). I know he’s not in mass comm., but he’s still awesome.

Joe Fagella: It’s amazing how far we’ve both come in the sports department. We’ll both go out together on top man!

Professor Bush: For showing me what journalism is all about. And to write properly and to follow the journalism code!

Professor Roth: For giving me a real world look at how film and the media are. Now I know I have to be the best I can be.

Professor Tullio: For showing me film, animation and what the media is like. And for being the teacher in 7 of my classes.

Professor Zrzavy: I learned so much from your classes. And I’m looking at media in a whole new light.

Doug Monson: Thank you for giving me the chance to broadcast even through my ups and downs. At least I stuck with it.

Dr. Kristen Nevious: Thank you for appreciating the stained glass piece I made for the Fitzwater Center. It is in good hands and moving in the right direction. And I will miss this place when I leave.

That will do it for the dedications…but wait! I have one more to give!

Brittany Bonesteel: Couldn’t forget about you. You helped me in three ways. One, for having me go to the newscast in the first place which led for me to get involved in most every other show on campus. Two: for having me become a better person. And three: for inspiring that Stained Glass piece I gave to the Fitzwater Center. Thank you very much Miss Inspiration! I’m eternally grateful.

And to the rest of you who I did not mention, whether I know you or not, I will miss you. So I hope everyone is all right. That is all this Renaissance man has to say. Good bye! May we meet again some time!

Tips on doing good deeds for others and more of the Epic Piece.

There are so many things in the world that we are preoccupied with. I know I've mentioned this before, but the more I talk about it, the more everyone becomes aware of just how much they have to do. But at the same time, we cannot forget about others. True, #1 is ourselves, but at the same time, we can respect and do good things for other people by sacrificing things that are dear to us in order to make others happy. I know this from personal experience because I've had to do that all of my 4 years here. This is the last piece of advice I am going to give to everybody regarding any tips, because the last blogging I do while I'm here is going to be devoted to the Epic Piece (which I'll give more details about later on). But here are some tips for doing things for other people and respecting them:

1. If someone needs help, never refuse it.

If someone needs assistance with something like getting some piece of work done, holding a door open or giving them some words of encouragement, we all have the potential and the ability to help those in need.

2. Be wary of your time and encorporate it with other peoples' time

This is important so no one falls off track. There are a lot of things to do and people to help, but at the same time, we cannot forget that we are busy and how there are so many things to get done. Help out as long as the schedule works for you.

3. Good deeds eventually get rewarded

Some people may decide not to do good deeds because they feel they won't be rewarded. But no matter what happens, we should still help everyone out when we can whether there is something waiting for us at the end of the tunnel. That is not the most important thing in the world.

4. There is satisfaction when you do

Helping someone out can make you feel good inside with knowing you accomplished something important that can help change someone's life. That is one of the most important things we can do as human beings.

5. BE THERE

The most important part about helping people out is knowing that you'll be there for them in the end. When there is a rocky situation in one's life, never give up and be there for the people that care about you, as well as the people you care about the most. Try to have respect for everyone and be a humanitarian.

These points are the last ones I will give to anyone who is interested. And they tie in well with the "Epic Piece" that I have been working on for a month and a half. As it nears completion, there is so much that I want to say about it right here and now. But I have to wait just a little bit longer (sorry Bobby!) because I am revealing it at the Fitzies on April 30th. It will be several more days, but I will say this, it will be bittersweet. And whether or not the piece is successful or not, I at least tried to give back one more time. And it is the last thing I have to do before I graduate. So I hope that everyone will like it. Next time, I will mention the piece in detail to everyone who is interested and my parting thoughts before I leave. See you next week for the grand finale...

Where are my books? Tips on improving memory and clues on the Epic Piece.

Trying to do a lot of things in such a little bit of time is a tricky thing to do. As college students, we have so many things to do and keep track of in our daily lives. However, there are periods where we forget about what we have to do. We get so preoccupied with these things that we can get pretty forgetful and neglect what we needed to do in the forst place. The only thing that I can say about this is the fact that we need to be more aware of what we have to do and how to accomplish it. Does this mean that we need more space on our hard drive that is our brain? Sorry, but there are no upgrades available. And no ginko biloba either! What happens to us is pretty characteristic of most other people in this world. So what can we do about this? The only way we know how! Through tips!

1. Keep a notebook and organize everything you have to do

This tip is important because you can look back through what you have to do and already have it written down. This is very good if you have seven or eight things to do in a single day (reminds me of wacky wednesdays). But the point of this is to put them in the order that you do them. For example, one person could put their classes first, the regular everyday tasks next and then the extracurriculars. Another person would like to mix it up and maybe rearrange the classes and the everyday tasks. Each one of us is individual and unique. Tailor the list to your liking an to who you are.

2. Think of key words for what you have to do

This tip may not work for everybody, but for those of you out there who like to think complex, you can instantly come up with key words or abbreviations to instantly think of what you have to do. Honestly this is a difficult way to think of what you have to do. I'll even confess that I would have problems with this. Next tip!

3. Sticky notes!

If a notebook does not work out, write post it notes for yourself and put them in areas of the room where you need to go and do stuff. This is a great tip, however it seems a little too Memento for some people.

4. Repeat whatever you have to do in your head by thinking about it

That's right! Repetition is something that everyone can do. By repeating it over and over again in your head, you should be able to remember everything as long as you use concentration. Then again, having to repeat the words "doing laundry" several dozen times may not go over well with people.

5. Get to know your routines

By learning about your everyday routines, you can be prepared for whatever comes your way through the days of the week like Monday thru Sunday. If you dothe routine for long enough, then you should be able to remember everything!

And that's all there really is to it. And I'm doing the last one right now by remembering to write this blog!

Before I go, I would like to mention a special surprise that I have before I graduate. I am going to be revealing it next week at some point which concerns most people. I will not reveal it until next week, but I will say that it is going to be amazing (hopefully if everyone likes it) and I'm excited because I've been working long and hard on this for a while. The only clue I will give about it is that it pertains to stained glass that I work with. All right, one more thing! It will be a great way to wrap up a career and just by looking at it, it will speak words to everyone. That's it. But next week, my blog will be devoted to mentioning this incredible piece to everyone. Be excited for the unexpected and think about the possibilities of giving back to others! The art will speak for itself after making so many pieces for everyone, this is the piece to end all pieces. To be continued...

Get me a double espresso! Tips on getting more sleep.

Something that eludes so many college students when they least expect it is getting the right amount of sleep. Here we are going through the day with courses to do, extracurriculars and whatever makes our days go round. Then when we get back to our rooms, we try to go to sleep, but with everything that we do, sleeps often gets the shaft. Now some people can operate on only a little bit of sleep like my roommate does. I still don't know how he does it. Maybe he's a student by day and a superhero at night when I'm asleep (Hammerman to the rescue!) . But for the rest of us like myself who rely on a lot of sleep to properly function, it can be problematic. I know for a fact that I do a lot of things going through my final semester. But one night with just a mediocre amount of z's can throw me off. I drag my feet around all day and say to myself "Why didn't I go to bed earlier?" There are even times when I wake up in the morning when I'm like a zombie from one of those zombie films (George A. Romero comes to mind) as I take a shower, get dressed and head off to the cafeteria (oooooooohhhhhhh!). But to reiterate my point, sleep is important to everyone whether we choose to think about it or not. It helps our bodies feel better and prevents us from getting sick (which is how sickness goes around campus just as easily as the Black Plague went around Europe in the Middle Ages, though in this case, no one dies. They just become REALLY miserable) As a matter of fact, I feel a little sick right now. But enough of the random bantering. It is time to tell you some tips about getting more bed rest to heal and your body and your soul (all right, the last part sounded really cheesy just then, almost like some yoga or mental expert saying that to you in a class or session).

1. Go to bed earlier

Every single college student will probably cower in a corner and say "Oh my god! He just said the E word!". But there is truth to what I say about it. By going to bed earlier, you are able to get a little more sleep and feel more refreshed in the morning. The average college student stays up for who knows how long doing whatever they like. This is something that I should start doing a lot of. No more going to bed at 1 or 2 in the morning for me!

2. Have something soothing before bed

I'm referring to some tea or milk before bed. Something that does not have a lot of sugar or caffeine in it. When you have either of those things, you get burned in the end. Which means that there's no coffee recommended for those who have to have it before bed (and in case, you're wondering, I'm not a big fan of coffee, despite the title of this blog). So drink something that soothes you.

3. Make your bed more comfortable

In order to get a lot of sleep, it is important to be as comfortable as you possibly can. That means having the right covers, a comforter, a cushy mattress and pillows (I can't get enough of them!). But the thing to think about is just propping them up right and finding the right comfort position for everyone as they toss and turn in sleep before the REM kicks in. I realize that its what I need right now.

4. Think repetitive thoughts

Having trouble going to sleep? Think of something repetitive that will have you fall asleep by constatly thinking about it so it will overload your brain and you're out like a light. A great example of this is counting sheep. As for myself, I like to think about sports before going to sleep. Sometimes even going to sleep as I think about some games or events that stand out to me. "And now, the starting lineups for your Chicago Bulls..."

5. When your body needs sleep, it needs sleep

Don't ignore the signs that your body needs sleep. Because when you feel exhausted and want to fall asleep, then do it. Take a nap and you'll feel a lot better. That's how it usually works right there. By not getting rest, we take a toll on our bodies one way or another.

So by going to sleep a lot earlier, we give ourselves more energy to tackle the day. Now if you'll escuse me, I need to get some sleep and feel better! I'll see you all later in dreamland (with good dreams of course!).

The pump stole my money! Tips on gas prices.

Managing money is a tricky thing to do. I know this for a fact because with every dollar that I earn, it goes toward food, supplies, the occasional DVD (darn those cheap DVDs at Walmart!) and the most costly endeavor out there...filling up the wagon! I'm not going to lie. The car I own is not as good on gas as it should be (Jeep Wranglers were made to go anywhere, not save gas). For everyone that owns one of those special fuel electric hybrids out there, there is no problem with going anywhere since the car can get 30+ miles to the gallon or more. But for those of us who have those monstrous SUVs out there that say "I own the road.", then chances are, you won't own the road when the car has to get filled up frequently at the same rate when a regular person eats three meals a day. And with how much you're taking out of your wallet (credit and debit cards included), its almost as if the gas pump is saying to you everytime you're about to put the nozzle to the car "All right! This is a holdup! Give me the money or you get no gas!" (I'm also imagining a gas pump pressing the nozzle up against a person's back in the process, which is a bizarre surreal image now that I think about it). But the point is, gas prices are going up and there's not much that we can do about it. But, there are a few fuel saving tips that we can do to help us save a little money in our pockets and use it for more important things (no, online gambling is NOT one of them!):

1. See which gas station is the cheapest

By driving around in your local area, you can see all of the gas stations and deduce which one has the cheapest gas offered to the general public. Do this when you're just randomly driving around and write down all of the prices that you can (but not while driving! That's too dangerous!). Also notice certain patterns that gas stations have when they raise prices. This is one way to help you save some moolah.

2. Fill up your car on the weekend

This may sounf a little crazy, but it makes sense. When do gas prices seem to go up? (Jeopardy music plays). If you don't know by now, gas prices go up during the weekdays from Monday thru Friday because of all of the trading, buying, selling and all of the other businness that goes on at the New York Stock Exchange. On the weekends, the prices stay the same because the NYSE does not function and they stay balanced. But for those of you who have to fill up the tank before the weekend comes, then it can't be avoided. But for those who wait and are patient, then they can fill it up without the gas price changing at the last minute (it hasn't happened to me yet, and hopefully never will. I can imagine the person changing the sign and giving me this awkward smiling grin to mock me).

3. Drive less

This tip says it all and is self explanatory. Drive less. Now for the people out there who like to go on some sort of "road trips", then the car is going to be using up a lot of that gas. Soif you can, reduce the amount of time driving and start saving (no roadtrips to Florida or California please!).

4. Spend less money on trivial things

When you spend money on snack foods, electronics or DVDs (once again! I have to beat the habit!), it takes away from the money you can put forward toward gas. So to keep yourself from feeling short changed at the pump, make sure that you do not spend all of that hard earned money on things that are less important that filling up your car (though it is okay to splurge once in a while).

5. Get your car checked out every now and then

Even though we do oil changes every 3,000 miles, we should still check on our cars to make sure that they are up-to-date and are more fuel efficient. This choice is optional because it can be expensive to give cars tune-ups (beware Volkswagen and Volvo fans!).

Those are the best tips I can give to people who want to save gas. Although the gas prices are at an average of around $2.70 a gallon, you know that those penny pinchers will up the ante and the gas prices will reach over $3 a gallon. But with the advice I've given, you can be prepared for whatever comes your way. See you later!

Must concentrate! Learn to stay focused!

After having an exciting Spring Break (driving home in a snow storm, getting rest and actually working on a film with REAL film), I'm now back on campus and am having a tough time staying on page with what I have to do to graduate. Either it is the senioritis kicking in or it's something that happens to every college student when they come back from Spring Break: they get lazy. There, I said it. When everyone gets back and there's only a little bit more than a month left, they start to get lazy and not want to do anything. These are the common things you're most likely to hear: "I didn't know that was due today!" "It's such a nice day today! I'd like to spend it outside." "I'm almost out of here! I've done it plenty of times before!". Those are what you'll expect to hear from various people. But the most important thing to remember is to not get side tracked and stay focused on your work and whatever you love to do. There isn't much time left, but here are some tips to help you get in the zone (no, I will not go by what that commercial says!):

1. Create a list of what needs to be done

This tip is just as it says. Make a list of what you have to do. It should go something like this:

1. Do homework for classes (you can be really detailed right here)

2. Do extracurricular activities tonight (once again, be really detailed here with whatever you do)

3. Prepare for this special event (ditto like the last two)

4. Put gas in the car (or something like it. I put this here because that's something that I have to do)

But a list is a great way of keeping track of what you have to do (and no strings to tie around your fingers too!).

2. Organize the hard from the easy

When compiling the list, determine which of these activities is hard to do and put the easy stuff at the bottom (that's what I do). So something like "gas in the car" would be easy and put at the bottom while doing classes or special events would go up on the list (because they can be hard!). Do it in a descending order.

3. Keep calm and stay on top of things

If you have a lot of things on your plate (five course meal, just kidding!), just remember to keep calm and take into effect the stress reducing techniques that I mentioned a couple of blogs ago and still manage to stay focused on whatever you're doing. It's as simple as that.

4. Do not daydream!

This happens to a lot of people, including myself (yes, I confess). We think a lot about something else and do not concentrate on the task at hand. Try to eliminate that and think about the dire consequences of daydreaming. Focus in a class instead of thinking about what will happen on Grey's Anatomy later that night.

So that's really all I have to say as I have to focus on the Exchange and the next blog I have to do. Doing it all from concentrate. Tropicana style! I'll see you around!

I'm melting! I'm melting! When the snow melts.

With all of the white snow melting right now in mid-March, that can only mean one thing: SPRING! There are a lot of things going on right now with the warm weather finally reaching us (although if I remember correctly, the other three years I've been here, it always seemed to come in April...oh well!). With the beautiful weather outside right now, there are going to be plenty of things out there to do! Here is what you can do to enjoy the fulfillment of the changing weather (besides the allergies that I'm going to have during this time):

1. Spend more time outside

Get more active! Send that lazy bum of yours off the couch and outside! Run around, jog, walk and get in shape! This is a great time to start a fitness routine for anyone who is interested in being outside. Just remember to bring some sunscreen, depending on what is happening out there and choose the right SPF, otherwise you'll end up fried like a stick of beef teriyaki!

2. Do activities outside

That is the key right there! Play some basketball, golf, tennis or some kind of sport that will have you staying fit and having fun. Have some kind of a picnic outside for those who like to eat outside and spend time with the people you know. Hey, that even means that you could climb Mount Monadnock as well (just make sure you don't go alone! It's easy for one to get lost on the mountain!).

3. Interact with the environment

Like the 2nd tip, mountain climbing/hiking is good, going out in the woods and getting in touch with nature is fun (just don't get TOO in touch) and even go out on the water and do some kayaking or even to swim. Just have a lot of fun out there and leave things as they are (I'm referring to all of those litter bugs out there!).

4. Admire the scenery

Something that I always enjoy, no matter where I am is the scenery. I sit back and think about the scenery that I'm observing and what it has been through. I look at the trees, bodies of water, the sky and realize just how lucky I am to observe such magnificent wonders. Great, now I'm sounding like my sister (although admiring such things is always good to do). When outside, if you have time, reflect on the scenery and your own personal thoughts if you want to. This of course doesn't mean that you have to analyze your soul and personal chi. Just do it because it feels right.

5. Being outside makes you happier

This is true to everyone, including myself. For the most part, I have been cooped up inside, whether it is for classes, work, not feeling well or even because I forget just how beautiful it is outside. There are times when I feel miserable inside, but when I am outside, I feel refreshed and happier with myself. That's all there is to it. It improves your mental mood and makes you really happy! Happy as a kid in a candy shop (mmmm, candy! Those peanut butter cups in my room aree really tempting right now...).

But what I'm trying to say here is to do things that are fun and when you're outside, it makes you feel better both physically and mentally. So just do it! Great, now I sound like I'm advertising Nikes! See you next time!

Ahhhhh! The stress! Tips to relax.

Now is the time of the year where college students start to get a little more work and they have a lot more going on in classes and extra curricular activities. For myself, I have a lot going on in my life right now. I take 5 courses, I work at the television statio, I have a 2 hour radio show every Thursday, I do a little broadcasting on the side, I write for the Exchange and the newspaper, I do 10 hours of shuttle a week, work in the stained glass lab almost every night, do filming on the side that has nothing to do with courses and I'm the secretary for B.R.O. That is a lot to do! But at the same time, I suffer from a lot of stress and tension with everything I do. I've strived to make my last semester one to remember as I run to every class, make sure I'm there for every show, bust my chops on stained glass projects and try to remember everything there is to know about every single day that passes by. But at the same time, I tire myself out. And just like me out there are students who do a lot of activities and have to balance classes at the same time. I can say that my freshman year had none of these things. Actually, my freshman year had me doing very little. All I did was a little bit of the radio station and a little of the tv station. But with everything I do, I need some time to relax and unwind. So...here are some tips to help anyone who is stressed out and to feel RELAXED!

1. Do a fun activity

Take part in something that you love doing. Whether it is getting exercise, reading, watching tv or movies, playing video games, etc. As for myself, I like to work with stained glass (yes, that is a relaxing activity surprisingly enough except for when you cut yourself and accidentally drop hot solder on your hand!) and I play some video games (break out the Tetris, Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros. and Soul Calibur II, although SCII gets pretty agressive when I play with my roommate. Scratch that one.). But do something that you love doing and it is one step to staying relaxed!

2. Take a hot shower

Something that everyone does to relax the muscles and tension that they get in their body is through a hot shower. Wash your troubles away and feel refreshed through a shower! Just as long as you don't make it TOO hot and you come out of the shower looking like a chili pepper. But at the right temperature, you can feel great. Another thing: If you're feeling really good about yourself, don't sing or speak in the shower. When someone does it, one will think that the place is haunted if you're loud enough.

3. Eat comfort foods and drink something good

Eat something that makes you really comfortable inside like your favorite food. When you eat that food, you become happy. And drink something that is really good too. My comfort food would be spaghetti or even some Sun Chips that are made of whole grain (but sometimes I will go for the occasional peanut butter cup). My comfort drink would be cinnamon or green tea (got to love those antioxidants!). Anything to make you relax, and to have your tummy feel great too!

4. Get rest

Some people will scoff at me when I say this, but get plenty of rest. When you get plenty of rest, you feel reenergized the next morning. Not enough and you'll be as grouchy as Oscar the Grouch on a good day. So get some sleep! (Reminder to self, never give another example involving Sesame Street ever again!)

5. Hang out with your friends

As good as these other 4 steps are, it is even better when you spend time with the people you know. It's never fun to be lonely and secluded. But when you're around people who care about you and show that they care, then it makes it much better. Aw! Group hug!

So those are the best tips I can give for something like that. And for everyone who is feeling awful and tensed up, think back on these tips and you can feel much better yourself! See you next time! (Yeah, that picked me up pretty good! Now, where's that green tea when I need it?)

Filming: Rain or shine!

I do a lot of different things at Franklin Pierce, whether it is television station work, my own radio show, writing for the Pierce Arrow, or even the Exchange (which is what I'm doing right now). But something that relates to one of my majors that I do only a little bit of is in Media Production. In other words, I film! That's right. This idea came to mind in this blog because I have been helping a good friend of mine film a movie that he's working on right now. I have been helping him since last semester and I can say that I've been through a lot with filming. This even includes projects that I've done in the past for my media production classes. Here are a few tips to help all of you budding filmmakers out there who want to get a movie made (and for those of you who aren't interested in filmmaking, then you can laugh at some of the things that I've done with the whole 'filming' process).

1. Develop a good script and storyboards

Every good young filmmaker needs to come up with a good entertaining script to keep the audience interested. For those of you coming up with a film idea, make sure that you have elements in your script that will get people interested in your story. When I came up with ideas, I always seemed to think of something at the last minute (maybe that's why my last couple of films had the same typical elements to them). I went with the whole "mission" plot line. Whether it was trying to recover a stolen wallet, which was a ludicrous idea from the beginning and one of my actor's heads kept itching from that ski mask which he hated. Then there was my poker movie "Chipped". That was a good movie and I got a lot of funny bloopers from that, especially with one of my actors who kept making hand movements every time he spoke. It was awesome! But try to come up with original ideas and you'll be surprised with what you can do. And storyboards, well if you can draw, you can draw. Myself, I make stick figures. Enough said.

2. Get the equipment prepared and be ready for the shoot

That's right! Every good filmmaker should be prepared! DV tapes, camera, lighting kit, batteries, tripod, microphones, cords, the works! Get a lot of that and you'll be ready for anything...well, at least until the unexpected happens! Always prepare for the unexpected because you never know when anything will go wrong! Sometimes a light burns out, the microphone batteries die on you, the tripod becomes as droopy as a spaghetti noodle after its been boiled in hot water, the batteries for the camera are only half charged (that has never happened to me) and the tape has only five minutes of recording time left. Be prepared and always have replacements! Too many times I have had to run back to the depot! Make sure it doesn't happen to you!

3. Wherever necessary, get actors

Actors are what make the movie. But remember this: the more actors you have in your movie, the more complicated you make it for yourself. People have different schedules and you have to make sure that their schedule can fit into yours. In most cases, you'll have to find someone else or even go for the last resort by putting yourself into the movie (something that I've done many times!). So think before you use actors in the movie. And if possible, reduce the number of actors you have in your movie. You'll be thanking yourself later!

4. Shooting

Filming is not always perfect. You have to closely monitor everything you do. Whether it is the shot by zooming in or out from your camera, the audio levels, the props, the right reaction and lines read by your actor(s), it all has to fall into place at the right time. Otherwise you end up with many takes. With all of the films that I've been involved in, I can say that you really need to expect that it will be a long shoot. Heck, one scene involved about 10 takes alone because of messed up dialogue. Get ready for the long haul! And film no matter what, even if it is rain or shine (just like the post says).

4. Editing

That's all there really is to it. Just edit your piece together. But make sure you have ahard drive that has at least 160 GB to it and know EXACTLY what you're doing. Myself, I'm not the best editor out there, but I can at least do a little more than the basics. The only thing that you have to worry about is if the editing program crashes (ah, Avid!). But if you know what you're doing and you know what you want, then you'll be all right.

So those are the bare bones to filmmaking. When I leave college, I'm not sure where I will be with film as a job. But it should be exciting, especially with the skills and experiences that I've had. So for all those young filmmakers out there, get shooting! See you all later!

Patience is a virtue!

There has been a problem that has always affected me in my life. It's nothing really bad. It's just something that I have to work on. In fact, it's a problem that most of us have every time and again. I have a problem with being impatient. Now it might sound ridiculous to a lot of people, but it is something that I have to overcome. Whether it comes down to waiting in line in the cafeteria, a class to finish or even for the next day or week to arrive, I have that problem. And I cannot do that anymore. Although I may not realize it, impatience weighs so much on me, it becomes hard to function mentally. I keep thinking about concentrating, but instead I'm doing the complete opposite. It's like saying you'll never do something again and, guess what? You do it again! Here are some tips for everybody who wants to be patient (I know I do!).

1. Think about what makes you impatient

The urge is there. You want to get to it done or want it that badly. But the most important thing to think about is why you feel like this. Analyze it thoroughly. Yes, it does sound like a lot of deep thinking, but when you understand why you become impatient, then you can think about it and make better decisions. A good example would be waiting in line in the cafeteria like I do periodically. But I would be impatient like that because I would be really hungry at the point where I would start nibbling on my own arm and whatever I'm waiting for (let's say Teriyaki chicken wings) would be gone faster than a Nintendo Wii shipment getting sold out (I still have yet to see one for sale in a store!). When you understand why, that's the first step toward doing something about it.

I could just walk out of line and go somewhere else. But at the same time, if I leave the line, I could miss out on what's being served. So it really all depends on how you feel in that situation.

2. Think about the choices/consequences

Now when we're put into a situation, we don't have time to think about the consequences of our choices or the choices that lead to our consequences (my goodness! I should never say that again!). Or can we? If we have a few (or several) minutes to think about different scenarios, then we'll be all set. In the situation with the wings, I could just walk and get the next best thing, pizza or salad. Mmmmm! Pizza and salad! What am I saying? Teriyaki wings come once in a blue moon. If I wait in line long enough, I can reap the benefits! In this type of a situation, no matter how desperate, I would go with the wings. So by thinking about the choices and the possible consequences that come with them, then we can make better decisions (and get the wings in the end!).

3. The power of patience

The power of patience is extremely important when applied to any type of a situation. But the question we have to ask ourselves is whether the thing we're waiting for is worth it. That is entirely up to the person and what they're waiting for. The only advice I can give is to follow your heart and choose wisely. And be smart about it. But everyone who waits patiently should get rewarded in the end.

So there you have it! Patience is a virtue if you can control doubts and negative feelings and turn them into something positive. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm still suffering from a virus (maybe with some bronchitis). But if I take good care of myself and stay in good spirits, then I can get through. Once again, another good example of why you should be patient! And I didn't even mention the wings again! Ah, I just contradicted myself! I'll see you next time!

Day after Valentine's Day...and beyond!

Hearing about all of the special Valentine's Day festivities going on around campus and all of the events that people have planned, its no wonder that there is a lot of love going around in the air. But to myself, Valentine's Day is just another ordinary day. February 14th has been an ordinary day in my mind for the past 8 years. In fact, the last time I really appreciated the holiday was back in middle school when I still recieved Valentines. I have nothing against Valentine's Day whatsoever. I think its a great holiday, but it will be a while for me to have an actual reason to enjoy the holiday. By the time this blog goes out, Valentine's Day will be over (hence, the name of the article!). But for those who are single like myself and would like to meet someone special, here are some tips that will hopefully help you out when getting to meet new people, and maybe possibly get into a relationship. But take it one step at a time!

1. Get to know some people (possibly new)

Obviously if you stay reserved to yourself then you are not going to meet anyone out there. Think about all of the people that you could get to know through classes, clubs, social gatherings and any other activities that you do. You can do activities with people that you know and even try new things and meet new people. But only spend time with people and start to get to know them. Don't just go into it right away, which leads right into #2...

2. Spend some time with the people you know

After you get to know some people (after taking some sweet time), spend time with them. That can be through projects or just doing something fun outside just as friends in a whole group. You shouldn't even be thinking about the next step right now. Take time to get to know people and don't rush things. But if anyone is REALLY curious about the next step, here it is...

3. Asking the person out

Only do this step if you are really sure about what you having going with this person, which
means that you're:
-Really good friends with this person
-Have spent some time together
-Are comfortable around one another
Just talk to them and ask if they want to go out and do something with just the two of you. It does not have to be anything romantic. Just have fun and see how things turn out from there. The possibilities are endless if things work out. But you can only get here if you take it one step at a time!

And after that, you'll just have to wait and see what happens. I've never really gotten that far and I say to take it one step at a time because I tried to take it fast and completely skipped steps 2 and 3 mostly. Some role model I am! But the point is to get to know new people and get to know them over a period of time and fate comes into play from there. So good luck out there to everyone with knowing new people and hopefully, you can have a special someone for the next Valentine's day! As for myself, I think it will be a while before I consider a relationship (so busy with everything I do and I'm in my last semester in college right now). Someday I will celebrate Valentine's Day just like everybody else, but for now, its just another ordinary day to me. I'll see you next week!

Must...get...better!

February is a good time to have fun in the snow and an excellent time to savor winter for all its worth. There are times when I like to go outside and experience it. But the thing that I dislike the most about the month of February, and a few months after that is getting sick from either the common cold, a random virus or even the flu. I cannot stress how much care is needed to deal with illness like this! If you do nothing, bad things can happen. But if you do too much then you'll go through all of the unnecessary stuff and worry yourself over when you'll get better from whatever illness you get. A lot of people can easily forget just how simple it is to get sick. Seeing as how I'm sick, I might as well give some insight on what to do about any kind of illness and how to stay healthy (somewhat) if you do get sick.

1. Get plenty of rest

This is the most overlooked area when people get sick. Everyone says "Aw, sure! I can do that!". But its not as easy as it sounds. A lot of people try to resume their regular activities and it takes even longer for them to get better. Since we're all in college and we have a lot of activities that we like to do, the best advice I can give is to GET plenty of rest. It is recommended that you try to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep. But if there are things that are crucial out there for you, try to get rest when you can. But 7-8 hours of sleep is recommended because your body can fight whatever you've got.

2. Drink plenty of fluids

Now this part to me is easier said that done. Just drink plenty of water, orange juice and any other liquids you can to keep yourself hydrated. I know for a fact that I drink 3-4 glasses of orange juice every day and it helps a little bit (and when I say that, all of the orange juice in the cafeteria will be gone. I've created a monster!). But for those who have a different type of illness, its better if they have Gatorade/Powerade, tea, coke and ginger ale at room temperature, chicken broth and canned apple juice (if the problem is related to the gastro intestinal tract).

3. Take medications (if needed)

If you have a fever, body aches or anything that is making you uncomfortable and irritated, take some Tylenol, nasal decongestants and anything that will help your symptoms (though be careful when you take these things! Do not take them unless you really need to! And look at the warnings ahead of time on the box!). Beware of side effects too, like drowsiness for example. When I take something like that, afterward I feel as if I'm a zombie from a B-horror movie and want to let out a faint OOOOHHHHHHH! But enough of this, watch what you take!

4. Always monitor your progress

It is extremely important that you monitor your progress every day when you are sick. If you're not treating yourself right, you could end up with something more serious. So just make sure to watch out for any changes in your sickness.

That's going to do it for me this week. I need to rest right now and take my Coldezze (a good homeopathic method for colds), maybe some Tylenol and anything else that will help me. Time... to...rest!

Beware of the frozen unknown!

Over the past few weeks since I've been back here, I've noticed how cold the weather has been up in New Hampshire (a lot colder than it has been in Western Mass, I can assure you!). There have been times when the temperature has been below 10 degrees outside, including a few occasions when it has dipped below 0 degrees (once, I looked on a thermostat and it was -4 degrees! And that did not include the wind chill that night!). So for anyone out there on campus who wants to be out in the cold, I would not suggest being out there for long. But everyone at some time or another is going to have to go out there and brave the elements whether we want to or not. Here are a few tips about what I would suggest to anyone going outside who does not want to end up a human sized ice cube:

-First of all, make sure that you bundle up nice and warm. Some people when they are in a hurry just throw clothes on and they just go out there. While that does sound like a good idea, think about all of the frostbite you might sustain while being outside, especially when your fingers start to resemble burned bratwurst. When you want to go outside, just put on a good amount of layers (I recommend at least 3) as you make your way into the ice!

-Suppose you want to go out somewhere instead of looking at the mountains of snow on your doorstep. You want to start your car up but then you realize that it will not start. Oh no! What are you going to do? Before anyone panics and runs right out to their car, here are a few things to remember:

1. Always make sure the car is filled up with at least a 1/2 tank of gas. Believe me, it helps! I was barely able to start my car when I had less than a 1/4 tank and left it sitting for 2 days, which brings me right to #2.
2. Always start your car up everyday. All it takes is just a few minutes and you are done to make sure nothing freezes. Which reminds me of something I should have done yesterday...
3. Always check your car's oil to make sure that it is not low. And make sure that your car is not leaking antifreeze (that is the green liquid that leaks out of cars in the winter time). Make sure you have some more to fill it back up.

-But what if you want to stay at home? And what if the power goes out? What are you going to do to stay warm? How will you prepare for disaster? Yes, I know I sound like I'm suffering from paranoia, but it does not hurt to be ready in case something like that happens. Make sure you have quite a few blankets and plenty of warm clothes. And make sure that you have plenty of canned food and a type of light source. Yeah, that's all you need right there. You are looking for the flashlight when you knock over all of the canned food and it falls to the ground, breaking open. Take it one step at a time and you can do just fine.

-And one more thing to be aware of! Watch out for thin ice if you ever happen to be out on a pond or some other water source. It can be hard to tell if ice is solid or soft. Just be careful! But that does not mean you cannot have fun as long as the ice is solid (which reminds me of a pond hockey game I saw on Pearly Pond. I wish I knew what the final score of that game was).

So there you have it! Some extremely important tips to help you make it through the winter. Now if you'll excuse me, I will head back to my place and stay warm without having to turn into a 6 foot ice cube! Ciao!

Starting my last semester

I've been at this college for seven semesters and I've tried to approach every single one the same way: make friends, do coursework and try different things. But through all of the time that I've spent here, I look back at all of the things I've done, whether they were good or bad and I realize that, although it is my final semester here at Franklin Pierce, there is still a lot to do! While some people reading this can look at this as an article about a senior ending his 4 year education on a bittersweet note, I choose not to look at it that way. In fact, I've learned a lot from the 3 1/2 years I've already spent here. And I even have some advice to share with all of the students who are juniors, sophomores, freshmen and even the new transfer students who just came in. This is information that will help you get more acquainted with Franklin Pierce and enjoy the college experience like I have. Let's start off with some pointers:

-Look at college as a wonderful experience when you go into it. At first I looked at it from a negative perspective and wondered about how I was going to get through everything. But a few days after I first arrived, I came to realize that I would enjoy my education a lot more by thinking positive from the start, no matter what. Look at college in a positive light.

-For all of the students who just arrived this semester, go look around campus and see what is going on. The best way to acquaint yourself with the local surroundings is find something that you love, like a club or even spend time with your friends on campus. And if you want to see what's going on in the surrounding areas, you can go off campus too! I highly recommend going off campus if you can to see the wonderful atmosphere and explore! It took me quite a while to really go off campus and I regret not doing it sooner!

-For everyone who is returning who is not a senior, keep getting involved in what you love. But do not stop there. Try some new things if you want to and add some more activities to your every day life. I tried out some new things by joining clubs like B.R.O. and experimenting with activities I would never have tried like Stained Glass (in fact, I'm working on a really nice chess board right now! I can't wait!)

-And for all of the seniors graduating this year, it is entirely up to you with your final semester (or year) of education. As for myself, I intend to go out with a bang. I'm going to continue to do what I love in television, radio, broadcasting, my shuttle shifts and being secretary of the club. I want to leave Franklin Pierce knowing that I did the best I could my last semester, and I hope that everyone who is reading this does too!

-And one more important thing for everyone out there: when you get to know and be friends with people, treat them with respect and give them space. You cannot be friends with everyone but at least be on an understanding level and then things will be okay in the end.

That's all I really have to say and I wish everyone the best of luck going into this semester! For my final semester, I know I've got my hands full with my classes and all of the extra activities I'll be doing! There's no turning back now, especially since I'm in the home stretch!