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!