Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Get Ready for Hall Council


Welcome Students!!

As the summer is coming to an end, and the school year is quickly approaching, the Housing and Residence Life staff would like to welcome you to one of our Residence Halls. We are eagerly awaiting your arrival and can't wait to kick off the year with a bang!


We know this is an exciting time for you, and are thrilled that you are either joining our community for the first time or returning for another year with us in Student Housing. There are many great ways to get involved in your community, meet new people, and learn about your new home. If this sounds like something you’re looking to do, consider joining Hall Council!


Like planning parties? Want to get involved with the community? Interested in gaining leadership experience? If you answered yes to any of these questions (and even if you didn't), you should check out your residence hall's Hall Council. HC is a student-led organization that is run by students, for students. It is an excellent way to get involved and build community, as well as have your voice be heard. With positions such as President, Secretary, and Floor Liaison (to name a few), there is something for everyone!


For more information, see the attached flyer and don't forget to ask Housing staff for more information upon your arrival.

We look forward to meeting you soon!


Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Summer Isn't Over!

Summer isn't over yet and while the recent heat wave may have left some of us a little frazzled (not to mention exhausted and extremely sweaty), summer provides us the perfect opportunity to get out of the apartment and into the open air. Take advantage of the warm weather while you can - before you know it, winter will be in full swing, and as you gaze out of your window at the snow piling up on the empty streets, you'll start to miss that summer sun.

So, where do you begin? The park, of course! New York City has some of the best urban parks in the country, and they're a great place, weather permitting, to enjoy those long summer days and precious cool nights.

  • Looking to lay out with shirt off and shades on? Try Central Park’s famous Great Lawn (running mid-park from 79th to 85th st). At over 55 acres, the Lawn is the ideal place to settle in for a picnic or just lie back and soak up the sun. Can't find a spot? Head down to the Sheep Meadow (West side, 66th to 69th st), or up to the North Meadow (mid-park at 97th st).

  • Searching for a place to soak up the sounds of NYC? Hit up Washington Square Park in the West Villlage. With construction in its second phase, the fountain and famous arch are open to the public (5th ave, past w 8th st), and constantly surrounded with students, musicians, and performance artists of all sorts.

  • On a quest for someplace quiet? Pay a visit to the Conservatory Garden, a meticulously manicured pocket of Central Park (entrance at 5th ave and 95th st) that features traditional English, Italian, and French gardens. So what's the appeal? First of all, this hidden gem is not as well known as other areas of the Park, so you can count on fewer people, less noise, and a much higher probability of finding an open bench. Second, the Conservatory Garden is one of NYC's precious few quiet zones - no screaming children, no suits shouting on their cell phones - creating a true haven to get away from the city noise. Open from dawn till dusk, the Garden is an ideal spot to spend the long summer days, and, as a lesser-known point of interest, a perfect way to evade NYC's heavy tourist congestion.

  • Yearning for a younger crowd? No park is more trendy or unique than Chelsea’s High Line Park. The park is located 30 feet above the ground on an out-of-use elevated rail track. Built in the early 1930s as a means of transporting heavy freight across the city, service on the rail was suspended in 1980; thirty years later, the track has been reinvented as a modern, urban oasis. Stage one of the park’s development (which runs from Gansevoort street to 20th street) is now open to the public everyday from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., with entrances at Gansevoort, 14th, 16th, 18th, and 20th.

The best thing about New York’s parks (aside from being beautiful and completely free) is that they are extremely plentiful – the list above does not even crack the surface of all that New York has to offer. So go explore, and find your own personal haven. Just don’t forget the two cardinal rules of parks in the summer: stay hydrated, and don’t forget the sunscreen!

Written By: Spike Schwab

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Experience Pays Off


Although the idea of spending your summer sitting in the sun, reading anything that isn’t a textbook and just relaxing sounds good…consider fitting in a little career development during the break too.

Think outside the box about the value in a summer internship or job. Make the experience more than just money in the pocket for fast food and next fall’s tuition.

• Learn more about yourself – what do you like and what do you dislike – what are your strengths and what do you need to improve upon?

• Take in each new work environment and how it does or doesn’t fit your
personality and preferences.

• Reflect on the various roles you have in your job and what roles you
most enjoy.

• Network, network, network!

• Remember you have the choice to leave a good impression or a bad impression by every action and inaction you make.

• Ask for feedback. Many of those you are working with have been professionals for years. They can tell you what is valuable in today’s market place.

• Watch others at work. What do you think makes them successful or inefficient?

• Make note of all the skills you gain in your summer job experience. Be
sure to communicate them as transferrable skills on your resume.


Thursday, May 13, 2010

Stuy Park hosts the 2nd Annual Recycle Runway

Congratulations to our April Program of the Month, “Recycled Runway!” The event was sponsored by Stuyvesant Park RA Hannah Olpp and Loeb RA Eloise Lennen-Rodriguez, who collaborated with the Stuyvesant Square Community Alliance. The girls worked hard at gathering an entirely student-organized team: from models and designers to photographers,
all participants were members of The New School community, eager to showcase their sustainable art!

Just in time to celebrate Earth Day, Hannah discussed the importance of being environmentally conscientious throughout all aspects of one’s life. “Hopefully through this show we can educate people a little bit about being green, even through their clothing,” she said.
The runway show participants prepped for the big event over at Stuyvesant Park Residence, and then headed out into the park where they strutted their stuff along a fully sustainable Astroturf runway, crafted from recycled bottles.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Surefire Ways to Stay Stressed!



Yep, you read that right. For most students, this time of year can feel like a mixture of excitement, anticipation, anxiety, depression and panic, to name just a few. Combined these feelings can lead to a little stress.

You have more than likely heard of all the ways to combat and manage stress. So, let’s take a different approach today. Want to stay stressed? Just do this:

• Eat anything you want, at any time of day.
• Never, under any circumstances, exercise.
• Pull all-nighters on a regular basis.
• Personalize all criticism and constructive feedback received.
• Avoid all of these strange “new age” relaxation strategies.
• Break off friendships as soon as something doesn’t go your way.
• Study, study, and study some more…there is no time for fun.
• Make more promises than you can keep.
• Forget your sense of humor.
• Never ask for help.
• Become a workaholic.
• Procrastinate.
• Worry about things you can’t control.
• Go to bed really late.
• Forget the “good” and remember only the “bad”.
• Compare yourself to others.
• Avoid fresh air.
• Never take a break.

destress.jpg

One Minute Stress Buster
Everyone feels a little stress at times. Consider having this exercise
in your "back pocket" when you need to relax and refocus.
• Find a quiet spot.
• Remain standing.
• Close your eyes.
• Take 10 deep breaths.
• Breathe in through your nose to a count of 10, and then out through your mouth to a count of eight.
• Listen to yourself breathe in, and breathe out.
• Try to visualize the color white.
• Take 10 more deep inhalations and exhalations, again listening to your
own breathing.
• Roll your head all the way around very slowly, first to the right three times, then to the left three times.

• Take three more deep breaths, and then slowly open your eyes.


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From PaperClip Communications (www.paper-clip.com)