The Postgraduate Entry.

How can I sum up my college experience? Exploring, risks, prioritizing, and passion. I truly had a fulfilling college experience, and I don't regret anything. I got involved in so many things and all of them taught me something valuable.

Exploring. I tried a ridiculous amount of activities while at Hofstra. Ultimate, American Marketing Association (HAMA), Spectrum/Masquerade, The Vagina Monologues, Hofstra Concerts, HAGA, Nonsense...I worked for Public Safety, Admissions, Publications, The Playhouse, and the Graphics Lab. Some of these I did for a hot minute, some I never quit, and each helped me get where I am today...for example, HAMA helped me figure out that I didn't want to be a Marketing major and HAGA gave me an outlet to explore event planning. I learned how to work with finicky people, and I was lucky enough to work in some amazing and talented teams.

The Hofstra Association of Graphic Arts (club I co-founded) at Relay for Life

Risks. I came into Hofstra planning on being a Marketing major. Why? I guess I had it in the back of my mind that I needed to do business to make money and be successful. Thankfully, through a combination of chance and surrounding myself with extremely supportive faculty, family, admins and friends, I realized business was not my place at Hofstra. I can remember the moment when I left an appointment with my Career Counselor knowing the next day I'd be changing my major to Fine Arts, I'm pretty sure I was skipping. It was a huge risk for me. I'd never taken graphic design courses before and I have family in the arts and know how hard it is...but the weight lifted off my shoulders from knowing I'd be doing something I truly enjoyed and was passionate about confirmed my decision!

Hofstra Commencement program, recognized for earning high honors in my department!

Prioritizing. It took me some time to become really great at prioritizing. And I'm referring to everything from running a club meeting or napping, working on projects or playing at frisbee tournaments, and going to class or hanging out with co-workers at my internship at Time Out New York Magazine. I've always sought advice in making decisions, but I've come to learn that only I know what is most important to meeting my goals and enjoying myself, and not to let peer pressure get to me (although sometimes peer pressure can be good!). I think that's an extremely important skill to have throughout college.

With members of my team, Hofstra Women's Ultimate Frisbee, M45

Passion. Junior year second semester is when everything really started to click. I had found my place in the Fine Arts department and began to focus on the clubs and activities that I was really passionate about. I helped to raise almost $9,000 for the Nassau Coalition Against Domestic Violence through the Vagina Monologues and The Sex Toy Raffle, create a club, The Hofsta Association of Graphic Arts and a networking event for Fine Arts students, and plan the first Women's Ultimate tournament at Hofstra. All of these accomplishments made me extremely proud, and for the rest of my college career I poured myself into making these projects bigger and better at Hofstra. I can confidently say that these clubs and events are now and will continue to be staples of the Hofstra community.

In front of my home at Hofstra, Calkins Hall, aka the Fine Arts Department

A very short list of some really fun things that I never expected I'd do in college but happened and were awesome:
I was voted Homecoming Queen, got the part in a play as a little girl who thought she was Jesus, participated in Improv Everywhere's No Pants Subway Ride, traveled to Barcelona and London, and performed as N'Sync at Hofstra's Annual Drag show.


Partial list of more official and academic-oriented accomplishments: Dean's list every semester, except this last one, when I made Provost's list, Junior Women and Orientation Leader of the Year, graduated Cum Laude, Hofstra Women's Ultimate received Most Improved and Best Sport Club of the Year, Fine Arts Department Certificate in Achievement in Leadership, Special Contributions to the Department, New Media, and completed my Fine Arts Honors Thesis Project, inducted into Phi Eta Sigma and Phi Beta Kappa Honors Societies, Who's Who in American Universities and Bovenaan Awards, and awarded "Most Likely to write 20 exclamtion points in 10 text messages in 2 hours" by The Hofstra Association of Graphic Arts.

College was an amazing four years. Thanks to everyone who has been a friend and lent a hand, I could never name you all because there are so many, and I never could have done what I did without you all. I can only hope...well, I know the next few years will be just as exciting, and I can't wait!