Transfer students feel blue

Transferring,while somemay thinkit is easy,is not sucha fun-filledevent.

AfteracceptingCabrini's.invitationto attendthe school,transferstudentswere askedto signupfora one-dayorientation. Those who attendedtook mathand languageplacementtests,heardfroma few studentservices,signed up for classes, andwenthome.

Some maythink that becausetransfer students already had some college experience they should have an idea of how things work. However, there are many things unique to each school.

Compared to the three-day orientation that the incoming freshmen attended, some transfer students, who attended the one-day orientation, feel out of the loop. Erin Schell, a transfer sophomore, said, "I'm not sure where I stand- l sort of feel like a freshman, because I don't have all of the infonnation but it seems to me, like the freshmen are the ones who know what's going on. For the things I'm not completely sure about. I have either had to ask my RA or have heard it from some of die freshmen!'

The social aspect of orientation was also not as great of an opportunity as some transfer students had expected. "There was so much stuff cram.med into eKy t e is extremely unsanitary. Students don't want to get in the shower and come out with some else's hair on their feet. Hair in the sink is just as bad or maybe even worse. It's simple; if you shave at the sink, rinse it out! Nobody wants to wake up, go in the bathroom, and see somebody's hair laying all over the sink they have to brush their teeth in. Why mess up the bathroom right after the cleaning people leave? That means that _from about noon until 10 the next morning the bathrooms are torn apart. keeping comes in the morning. Will the destruction ever stop? Some hallway rugs have gum and burn marks on them. Signs that show exits to the building are knocked down and just the lights remain. Not having the signs is dangerous, especially if an accident were to happen. Why knock them down and put people in a potentially hazardous situation?

The bathrooms are not where the trouble stops. Let's not forget about the halls. A large number of trash always seems to settle in the dorms and the houses. It's not uncommon to walk through the halls and slip over an empty bag of chips or trip over a half drunk bottle of Pepsi. Trash should be disposed of in a trashcan, not on the floor. We_don't live outside where if the wind blows the trash gets picked up, or a stray dog or cat will eat it. The trash has to sit until houset 0 I • I r n s h •I we're looking for."

Everything that is damaged in the residences halls and houses comes off of the housing deposits that are handed in to reserve spots to live on campus. That goes for everyone that lives in the building.

How fair is it for the cleaning people that have to come and clean the mess? Why should they have to do extra unnecessary cleaning? How does it make us look as college students? ls this the way we treat our own homes? f e • I s p s one day. that there wasn't much time to interact w:ith any of the other people there. It wasn't like my freshman year, where I had the chance to make friends that I'd see in September- I suppose that I feel somewhat cheated," Rebecca Clark, a transfer sopholllOl'C,said. The freshmen, who attended the three-day orientation, had the chance to meet many new people, spend more time f'mding common interests and goals, and to gain new friends that they would see at the start of school.

As the swnmer ended, it came time to reM't1.to the college life. There were many events for the freshmen (as well as their families), for they are "First-Year Students." Transfers are 'first-year' students at Cabrini College.

It seemed as though transfer students were not really embraced by or welcomed into the "new" community by being included in the types of activities, such as the Matriculation/Welcoming Ceremony. which w.:re provided for the freshmen. While transferring is not a oompletely negative experience for most, there is a sense of something missing. Clark said.

'·I am happy that I chose to transfer to Cabrini, but wish r had the same experience that I did during my freshman year. You miss stuff when you aren't a freshman."

Nothing against being a freshman, transfers just wish they had the same opportunity at their new school.

Irony is a Ir--.

Sorry for being so blatant, but it is. I worked through four years of college, in order to pay for those four years of college. Now, as a graduate, my determination to overcome adversity is coming back to bite me in the ass.

This piece is not intended to be the random rambling of a bitter alum, but more so of a useful bit of advice for underclassmen to not make my same mistake.

While most of you still attending Cabrini spent your summer lying on beaches, chilling with your friends and just plain-old relaxing, I was getting all dolled up in business suits (in 90 degree weather, mind you) to attend interview after interview. The end result - "I'm sorry, you don't have the experience

What the hell? My professors, supervisors, co-workers, peers and family members were just as dumbfounded as I was. Despite the fact that my Bachelor's Degree (Magna Cum Laude by the way) and extracurricular experience at Cabrini more than fulfilled EVERY SINGLE other requirement for the position, the simple fact that I didn't do an internship was preventing me from finding a job (or at least one that I actually wanted).

Who cares that l couldn't do an internship because l was working a fulltime job to pay for college? Who cares that I have four years of work experience in a fast-paced business environment? Employers don't. Since it wasn't in the marketing field, they do not want to hear about it.

Meanwhile, all my friends who had internships are chilling in their nice cushy jobs, not sweating the drama of interviews, resumes and rejection letters.

Of course my first thought was "damn, I should've listened to my adviser," (Sorry Cathy). At the same time, my situation was the way it was, and I was fully aware of what the repercussions could be for my lack of co-op experience.

However, I was optimistic and just hoped for the best. I mean .I'm Sharvon right? Well. ! was wrong.

Lu.:ky for me. I was working for a company with managers and supervisors who not only know me personally and the extent of my skills, as well as my work etluc, but who are also interested in investing their time- to helping me-climltl,-...:;;;.,,,ilo,.~.~ the corporate ladder. It was just a matter I I of me being patient for the right opportunity to become available.

Although many other companies were reluctant to welcome me onto their payroll, I hold no hard feelings. In the words of my good friend Vince DeFruscio, "It's their loss!"

Okay - here comes the advice. DO AN INTERNSHIP! Do more than one if you can. As many as possible. They eat that stuff up, and believe me, with this economy, you'll need it. If you're one of those types that sits around the dorm playing PlayStation all day ol: if you're relying on your "skills" to get you by like I did, then get your butt up and over to the Co-op and Career Services office. You have no idea what your actions today will do for you tomorrow.