University Studies

If you enroll at the school of General Studies and have a scholarship or came from another college, there's a chance you'll get placed in University Studies. Now, the name is a bit confusing and the description even more so. It's a one hour per week class where you learn study skills, test-taking skills, and coping strategies for your time at Columbia.

"But wait," you may think, "I already know this stuff." I felt the same way and yet, the class has been invaluable. It is NOT a remedial or "special" class, it's just a nice way to get support your first semester at GS.

One of the things the class covers is time management and schedules. I found it really interesting that so many people only post their classes in their schedules: it's not realistic. A good schedule, as we learned in class, takes all sorts of things into consideration: commute, meals, studying, work, social life, family life, hygiene, and so on.

My own schedule went through tons of stages.

This is the first one:

This is the final one:

I admit I don't stick to it as much as I'd like, but the whole point is that having it makes you flexible. We'll see how that goes.

A Short Update

I just had another awesome day. We had a pizza party that got way too big so we moved it outside. Then we had a speed meeting where I met the coolest guy. Same major, also a NYCer, just awesome stuff in common. We’re totally going to be study buddies. Then thirty of us went out drinking and I discovered the local hangout bar is a block away from me. Duuuuuuude.

So, great day. Totally awesome. Too tired to write more.

And now it's official...

ORIENTATION. WAS. AWESOME.

I…I don’t even know what to say. I mean, I am EXHAUSTED. Like seriously. I didn't sleep last night because I was too anxious so I went on 2 hours of sleep and just got back home almost thirteen hours later. I’m pretty sure my feet are going to be in incredible amounts of pain tomorrow, but still…AWESOME.

So I walked into the place to applause which made me want to run back out but I guess they applaud for everyone when they walk in. The good thing was I already knew, like, five orientation leaders personally, so I gave them all hugs and my gay husband and I were all, “ZOMG!!!” and squeed. Then we got an into to all the staff and people along with a breakdown of school policies and yadda yadda yadda. Then we had a group meeting with out advisors, and my advisor is the fucking best advisor ever. No, really, everyone loves her. She’s awesome. And she knew my name and who I was without me having to introduce myself. She had all her students speak and tell them what they got out of advisement. It was really interesting, actually, because the Columbia advisors seems WAY more hands-on than any other ones I've had. Then we had a financial aid thing and different breakout sessions.

The cool thing was that I socialized. Like, really, I socialized. I must’ve introduced myself to 45 people and exchanged numbers and got business cards (note to self: I need to make moo cards with my info). I met some people I really believe will be friends for a while. It was so cool. And I already have a repuation as a jokester. Me? Jokester? Never. clears throat

They had a welcoming dinner for us at a local Cuban restaurant…tasty! The party ended at 6pm but the group of people I was talking to didn’t leave until 7:30. The poor waitstaff wanted to kill us. :P

Tomorrow is another party and I’m totally going. Eeeeeeeee. :D

Well Now...

I just used the toilet in the apartment for the first time. It has buttons. Lots of buttons. And a massage setting. I feel like I need a manual or a PhD to properly utilize it.

Fred Loves You

I'm Here...and I Suck At Packing

You know that saying, "You never know what you're missing 'til it's gone?" Is that the phrase? Well, either way, you never know what's important until you don't have any.

Like towels.

Or pillows.

Ooops.

I know I can just buy those things here, but by the time I remembered about the pillows it was 1am and by the time I remembered about the towels, I was already in desperate need of a shower. Thank goodness I packed enough cotton clothing to do a decent time of drying. I should probably get a robe though. I'm pretty sure one of my apartment-mates saw more of my bottom than she wanted to. Double ooops.

So fair warning to anyone moving: pack a towel.

Now that that's out of the way...

I'M IN NEW YORK CITY!! AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!

I'm probably not as excited or overwhelmed as most, seeing as I was born and raised in NYC, but I'm sill so happy to be back. I'm getting certain pangs of homesickness, but that's normal and I suspect it will pass.

I did receive my first shock though.

Grocery Shopping In Morningside Heights

Holy crap. I was told the dining around here was expensive, but I had no idea HOW expensive. What really bothers me is that the new people don't realize they're being hosed. If yo go just a few blocks up to Harlem or even further up to Washington Heights, the food prices are drastically lower. Still, I was hungry and needed grub, so I hit up my nearest market, The Apple Tree Deli, to get some snack food. I went in there without a plan ad wound up bringing back the most random assortment of food ever. Here's what I got:

1lb Polly-O Mozzarella, $6.89

Six large eggs, $1.40

Two Stonyfield Farms 6oz yogurts, $1.19 each

Two plums, $1.32

Two packs of Winterfresh gum, $0.70

Four bananas, $1.15

One pear, $0.66

All for a grand total of $14.50. I wanted other things, like juice, but my usual brand was $6 for half a gallon. I pay around $2.80 for it back at home and just couldn't bring myself to pay more for it without feeling bitter so I left it. 

So am I really willing to trek up to Washington Heights every week for groceries? Will I have time to do that? I think I found a good alternative. Fresh Direct delivers to this area! It will probably come out just as expensive once you factor in shipping, but will save money once you factor in time. I do use a cane, after all, so hobbling around a store after already running around the school is something to avoid if possible. I placed my first order last night and expect delivery on Saturday. I'll report back on that.

Thoughts on Subletting

1) Got a place two blocks from campus. WINNING.

2) I may just be the most annoying subtenant ever.

3) The student I am subleasing from is a saint.

4) Did I mention how close I was from campus? DOUBLE WINNING.

What the hell is an APS?

APS stands for academic planning session and I just had mine ten days ago or so.

When I first heard the term, "Academic Planning Session," I had no idea what it actually meant. I knew I'd be planning something academically in the session, but that's about as helpful as telling a blind person to point to the blue object.

The Academic Planning Session is essentially a big introduction to GS' core. The Core is a curriculum Columbia designed in order to ensure that each student, regardless of major, graduates a well-rounded individual. For example, did you know that Columbia requires students to work their way up to the intermediate language of their choosing? Essentially, every single Columbia student should be able to have a basic conversation in a language other than English! I, personally, am ecstatic that this is a requirement as I have always believed that everyone should aim to be bilingual. Because I am already a native Spanish speaker, I only have to take one course to fulfill the requirement. Schweet!

The rest of the core for General Studies is as follows:

• Writing
• Literature/Humanities (2; 1 must be taken at Columbia)
• Foreign Language (Up to the Intermediate II level)
• Art Humanities
• Music Humanities
• Global Core (2)
• Contemporary Civilization/Social Science (2)
• Quantitative Reasoning
• Science (3)

The number in parenthesis is how many courses must be taken. Each course needs to be at least 3 points (credits).

There are tons of other limitations on Core classes, but I would need to write a handbook to explain them all...which is probably why we got a handbook at the APS.

My APS in particular was run by Dean K, a very funny Greek woman who is a student advisor as well as head of the study abroad programs. There were about thirty students in my APS session and it lasted about an hour and a half.

After the APS, there was a meet and greet session between the current students and the new students (myself and the other APS attendees). I met some really wonderful people and got my many questions answered by people who knew best. I also met the Dean of the school who, surprisingly, reminded me of Dean Pelton from Community minus the fabulous heels.

More on the APS later.

Standardized Testing & Jess Don't Get Along

As you probably know, standardized tests are a big deal. They are the benchmark used to determine whether one measures up to the standards of a specific grade or level. Millions of teenagers take the SAT or ACT when preparing for college, for example, and colleges, in turn, use these results to gauge their potential. That's how it normally works...unless you're a dropout like me.

At some point, I would have said not having to take the SAT was a good thing. The test is biased, or at least it used to be, and the questions are phrased a bit...oddly. Passing the test has as much to do with familiarizing yourself with the format as much as it does with knowing the actual content. But I digress...

Columbia University's School of General Studies, knowing that many of its students will have a gap in their education, administers its own exam. The General Studies Admission Exam, or GSAE, is given several times a year in locations up and down the East coast. I knew I had to take it in order to have a complete application, so near the end of March, I registered for the nearest exam. My test date was Saturday, April 14th in Orlando, Florida. I was excited, anxious, and had no idea what the hell I would be tested on. 

No Math, Captain!

Since the GSAE is based on the SAT, the school suggested that anyone taking the exam should buy an SAT prep book and study. I ordered this book from Amazon (which is excellent, by the way) and was ready to study...until I saw the math portion. 

Have I mentioned how much I hate numbers? Perhaps "hate" is too strong a word. I'm merely uncomfortable with numbers. I can do basic math, I can even throw around a few polynomials, but something about seeing it all laid out always fills me with a sense of panic. Imagine how I felt when I thought I had to cram four years of the stuff down in two weeks. Oy!

The good news is, I didn't. Apparently, Columbia believes that reading and writing are the strongest foundation you can have and, therefore, their GSAE consisted of the reading and writing portions of the SAT. Reading? Writing? My best subjects? Oh, it was ON! 

I took the diagnostic test and spent an hour each week trying to strengthen my weaknesses: I can't remember what they were now, but most of it was due to test format. I even bought a SAT vocabulary game I played twice a day. It was the best investment I made considering three of the words I learned popped up during my actual test. 

The Actual Test (dun dun dun!)

On Friday, April 13th, my mother and I loaded up our car and drove the two hours to Orlando. I don't remember much about the night before the exam, other than that I worried and watched a ton of Spongebob to get in my "happy place."

The day of the exam, I woke up at 9am and ate my room service breakfast, two eggs and sausages, way too quickly. I don't suggest people do this, as indigestion and examinations don't go well together. I went downstairs to the exam room nearly and hours early. I wanted to make sure I wouldn't get lost--although how the hell I would get lost going from the fourth floor to the first is beyond me--and took the opportunity to get to know the other applicants. Don't ask me about any of them because I can't remember.

The exam itself was not as bad as I was expecting. It was exactly like the reading and writing portion of the SAT with a bonus essay question that was to be graded holistically. The good things is that, like the SAT, leaving questions blank doesn't count against you; answering them incorrectly was. That was a hard lesson to learn as I usually have a "try try try" mentality, but in this case, blanks are better. I was also pleased to come across two words from my SAT vocabulary game. Thank you, Mind Snacks!

So How Did You Do?

I don't know! Unlike the SATs or other exams, Columbia will never tell you how you did or release your grades to anyone. I've heard that some people can get a tiny bit of feedback on how they did overall, but I never received any. I can only assume I did well since I got into the school.

If I had to do it all over again, I'd study smarter and take more diagnostic exams throughout my studying to continually improve my weaknesses. If any potential GSAE takers are reading this, buy the SAT prep book I linked to (I don't get any money from recommending it). It helped tremendously.

About This Blog, Part Deux (I Got In!?)

Where did we leave off? Oh yes, my finishing my application.

After a dear friend saved my butt and wrote a letter of recommendation, my application was complete. I submitted it around 5pm on Friday, June 1st and received an immediate response. "Thank you for applying. We will inform your of our decision in six to eight weeks."

EIGHT WEEKS?!

Okay, fine. I can be a patient person when the situation calls for it. I decided the best thing I could do was put it out of my mind until the end of July at the earliest.

On June 14th, I received a package from FedEx. My usual carrier, Chuck, thinks he's the Hulk and practically knocks down my door whenever he beckons. Did I mention I had a sinus infection, was doped up on Sudafed and wishing for a swift death? No? Well, I was. Needless to say, I gave Chuck the death glare while I signed for my package.

I didn't notice the return address until I slinked back to my room. At first, I thought it was a brochure. A large brochure. A really large brochure that the school sent via FedEx and made you sign for and OMG OMG OMG!!

I ripped the package, pulled out the blue folder, and flipped it open. All I did was scan the first page before bursting into tears. Then I snapped a picture of the page to make sure I wasn't going crazy.

AND THEN I TEXTED EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING AND YELLED IT FROM THE MOUNTAINS POSTED IT ON FACEBOOK.

I was on cloud nine the rest of the month, basically. Add a few pounds, nicer hair, and less green and this is what I looked like:

Once I came down off my high, I went to work on getting my enrollment package ready. To attend college as a full-time student, I needed to have my immunization records filled out and submitted to the school. I made an appointment with the doctor and even got a tetanus booster. (The shot was fine, the week I spent feeling ill afterward was not cool.)

Since I am currently living in Florida, I applied for University housing. Unfortunately, I got waitlisted, but thanks to the OCHA, I found someone to sublet from. NYC, HERE I COME!!!

About This Blog (or how Jess applied to Columbia University and didn't think she had a chance in hell...)

I'm not entirely sure when I decided to apply to Columbia. Like many of my decisions, it was probably made after a long session of putzing around the internet. What I do remember clearly is downloading the application and printing out two copies. I wrote and rewrote all of my information a million times, wondering if I would ever get the guts to actually apply. And then there was that whole pesky lack of test scores. Oh, I guess I should have mentioned I'm a high school drop out.

Let's start at the beginning.

I was born and raised in New York City. My mother worked and my father wasn't around, so I spent most of my time with my grandparents. When I was twelve years old, I received a scholarship to a private high school. When asked about my goals, I had told them I wanted to go to Columbia and be either a doctor or a lawyer. (I was adorably ambitious even back then.) Then my mother had two strokes. I dropped out of high school at thirteen and spent the next ten years taking care of my family and household. It was one of those things I did without thought; families do what they have to do, right?

In the winter of 2005, my family traded in the fast pace of New York City for the molasses ways of Florida. I wasn't a happy camper. Where were the museums? The musicals? The diverse restaurants? The move was one of the most difficult adjustments I've ever made, quitting school not excluded.

After a few years, I realized my family didn't need me home 24/7. My brother started high school, my mom was well enough to work, and my grandparents thrived in a slower environment. I began volunteering at different organizations around my small town, eventually ending up at a mental health organization. They liked me so much they hired me after two weeks. Two months after that, I was promoted to Project Manager contingent that I sit for my GED within three months. I sat for the test two weeks after the promotion and passed. I received my diploma at 23, ten years after I dropped out.

Since I now had my GED, I decided to register for classes at the local community college. I did really well, maintaining a 3.8 GPA and finding that philosophy and psychology were my passions. Unfortunately, I felt like a tiger in a tiny cage. The school was amazing and I'm forever thankful for what I learned in those classrooms, but I needed a bigger cage (or pond, as the expression usually goes). And that brings us back to my late night searching for schools that welcomed transfers and nontraditional students. Columbia fit the bill.

I sent in the first part of my application March 23rd, 2012. The next step was to sit for their standardized exam, since I never took the SAT or ACT. The good thing about the Columbia exam is that it is based only on reading and writing; you don't want to see me attempt a math problem. Really, you don't. It involves vodka, a flamethrower, and a Bible. No math for Jess.

The test was actually a great experience. It was given in Orlando which meant my mother and I took a road trip and made a vacation out of it. What's better than acing an exam? Acing it and hitting the premium outlets afterward. Awww yeah!

After the exam, I begged asked two of my professors to write letters of recommendation, requested transcripts from current and previous schools, and worked on my essay, which was the hardest part. I hadn't bothered telling many people about my past and my lack of an education, but I didn't hold anything back from Columbia. I had three different people read the essay to give me pointers, and everyone thought it was excellent. Everything was going great...that is until one of my letters of rec got lost in the mail and I had two days until the deadline. This time I really did beg someone, a friend, to write a quick letter for me. She did and my application was finally complete on June 1st, the day of the deadline. 

Then the wait began. It wasn't nearly as long as I thought it would be.