The Semester's Over...What Now?

For me, this past semester was a whirlwind of exams, events, long nights, Sheetz runs (or Eat n Park runs for milkshakes), tutoring sessions, volunteering, and so, so much fun. But every school year has its end, and I'm happy to say I managed straight As this semester - the long nights really are worth it. But what does a college student do once the finals are finished? There are so many options, but ultimately the choice is yours.

Here are my suggestions:
1. Get a part-time or summer job. It'll look great on your resume, as well as putting some cash in your pocket. I was a camp counselor last year and had the time of my life. I met international friends, tried new things like zip-lining and white water rafting, and made the best memories.

2. Even better would be a summer internship. Paid or unpaid, it gets you valuable experience within your field. Plus it lets you know the ins and outs of a career field. You'll find out if you could see a future with that job.

3. Take summer classes. You don't have to do this, but it can help keep you on track for graduating on time if you're double majoring or something like that.

4. Travel. If you're in high school, I'd recommend having a summer job, saving every penny, and traveling the next summer. As you gain a career and move deeper into adulthood, in can be difficult to find the time or money to travel. Take advantage of it while you can!

5. Relax! After you graduate college, vacation time will probably be harder to come by, so enjoy your time off. But don't get lazy. Keep busy with friends, hobbies, and more.

Whatever you do, I wish you the best of luck. Have a great summer,

Kim

Fun Things to Do in the 'Burgh: Part 2

If you're a fan of Pittsburgh sports, then La Roche might be a great choice for you! With a partnership with the Pittsburgh Pirates, La Roche always gets reasonably priced tickets to go to baseball games - think $10. But we definitely don't leave out the other teams. In the fall we generally sell tickets for Steelers games. And in the winter and spring, La Roche sells tickets for a few Penguins games.

2/22/15 against the Florida Panthers

The price ranges anywhere from $30-$40 for Penguins tickets. Even if you're not a fan of watching sports, it's really easy to get into the games. There's just something special about being there in person - getting free merch and nicknacks (like my super cool hate I got at the door!), eating nachos and various other stadium foods, and cheering along with the crowd. I can't think of a better way to spend a night in Pittsburgh if you're a sports fan!

Best, 

Kim

Fun Things to Do in the 'Burgh: Part 1

La Roche is the perfect location for those who want a little bit of the city life without living in the city. Being on a suburban campus feels safe, and it feels like home. But no one wants to stay in all of the time! Being 15-20 minutes away from downtown Pittsburgh is a godsend. In this mini series, I am going to just highlight some of the cool stuff I've been able to do off of campus. Don't worry about having a car (though we do let freshmen have cars on campus) because La Roche provides transportation for most of our school sponsored events.

The first event that I'm covering is an event Jubilee. Jubilee is a conference held by the Coalition for Christian Outreach (CCO) downtown every winter. Last weekend, it was held in the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The conference is a mix of speakers, workshops, live music, worship, and extra social games at the end of the day. Some notable speakers included the founder of To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA), Jamie Tworkowski and New York Times bestselling author, Bob Goff.

La Roche's Jubilee group for 2015

The point of the weekend conference was to connect your faith into your calling. There were workshops for every major - engineering, communication, education, and so much more. I'm not a terribly religious person, but I found that this retreat offered me a lot of insight into faith, but even more so, on being human. It's something that I would recommend to anyone, regardless of their religious background.

It was was an eye-opening, enlightening, and most importantly fun weekend. There were a over a thousand people there, including several local colleges and universities. Check out this quick video that shows what I walked into last Friday night. This doesn't even show all of the people who were there!

Best,

Kim

Go Big or Go Home is Not Always the Answer

You've heard it before: bigger is better; go big or go home. These fun phrases apply to many aspects of life, but not always to your choice of college. There are a lot of differences between large and small universities, and these differences are what's going to help you decide on where to attend. When I'm giving tours to prospective students, I usually ask them what other schools they're considering. Many times there will be a great juxtaposition between La Roche and the other colleges they're planning on touring. It's always best to explore your options, and really think about what you want in a college.

There are pros and cons to any college choice, but the most important question you need to ask yourself is: is this the best fit for me? Everything from the professors, to the location, to the average class size, to even the food can be huge (or even deciding) factors to your choice.

Here are my top benefits to attending La Roche, a small Catholic college:

• Small Class Sizes

Most of my classes have about 15 students in them. My largest class ever, an intro Marketing class, had about 30. It's not uncommon for larger universities to have classes with upwards of one hundred students.

• Personal Relationships with Your Professors

Our small class sizes make it really easy to create and sustain relationships with your professors. These relationships have really helped me when I've needed letters of recommendations. I'd recommend making good relationships with professors within your major because you'll have the most classes with them.

• It's Easy to Stand Out

This can be a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it. When you have a dozen students in a class, it's really easy for a professor to notice when you're skipping class, dozing off, and other negative habits. But on the flip side, if you are attentive, participate, and are overall a good student, then it's easy for your professor to remember who you are. This really helps with building those relationships I talked about above.

• Small Campus = Less Walking

Rain, snow, wind, whatever it may be, you won't have to deal with it for very long! Our freshmen dorm is right next to the building where most classes are held. I've timed it and it's about a 30 second walk between those buildings. Plus, it takes about five minutes to get to class on time from your dorm room. This is definitely an underrated perk.

Consider these points the next time you visit a college campus, and think about how you fit into that college. Best of luck,

Kim

From Cows to Redhawks: Please Visit your College!

Visiting colleges that you've applied to is of the utmost importance. One of our Admissions counselors, Heather, loves to tell this story to show how important it really is:

A girl had called her wanting to transfer to La Roche because the college she was attending was vastly different from what she had expected. "How different?" you might ask. Well, this girl awoke to cows outside of her dorm room window. It might sound crazy, but the girl didn't realize that her college campus was surrounded by farmland. She hadn't visited her college, and consequently ended up at a school in the middle-of-nowhere.

Moral of the story: visit the schools you're interested in before making a decision!

One of the easiest ways to get a feel for La Roche is to visit us on one of our Open House days. We provide a tour, lunch, and the opportunity to meet with faculty members and professors. There are also tables set up for various departments and organizations on campus including Residence Life and our Red and White Society - a student ambassador program.

Two of our student ambassadors, Alexis and Courtney.

This year we tried to make Open House a little more fun by having a seemingly impromptu dance party with the audience before tours began. Here's the video of the Redhawks and ambassadors shaking it down the aisle. Before you press play, I'm in the lower right hand side for the start screen. But at 00.24 I make an entrance with my best buds Zach and Boniface!

One of our Admissions counselors, Greg, and our Redhawk before Open House started.

Open House was really a great time, but if you missed it La Roche makes it really easy to visit our campus otherwise. You can schedule personal visits which include a sit-down session with an Admissions counselor, as well as a personalized tour with one of our Redhawk Recruiters. If you're interested in a particular sport, then you can meet with the coach and sometimes members of the team. The same goes for sitting in on a class. Most professors are very accommodating and would love to have you visit for the day.

UL: Last year's Redhawk Recruiter officers; UR: Courtney and me; LL: Carley and me; LR: Dr. O'Grady all dressed up for Open House!  

Overall, I can't stress enough the importance of visiting colleges that you've applied to or you are interested in. The visit can make or break a decision!

Best of luck in your college search!

Kim

p.s. Our Spring Open House is Saturday, April 25th in case you want to see us then!

Top Spots on Our Campus, Especially for Freshmen

         

          Freshman year is a whirlwind of new friendships, schedules, jobs, and lifestyles. This can be overwhelming, exciting, stressful, but overall fun. Here is my list of the top places that would be especially beneficial for a freshman.

Residence Halls

          Bold Hall is one of the most welcoming places on campus with its great sense of community, but let me clarify my title. I don’t mean your own room, but the dorm rooms of other students. I have great memories of freshman year where students would leave their doors open as an invitation for people to stroll in and introduce themselves. This openness allows resident students to get to know their neighbors without any embarrassment or awkwardness. With just a teensy bit of courage, you can easily meet and know your entire floor. 

          If you make friends with upperclassmen, then you can see the lower campus dorm rooms for housing options after freshman year. You can have up to 5 other roommates living in a apartment-style dorm room. 

Students in a Mahler dorm room.

St. Francis Peace Garden

          I recommend this garden, especially when the weather is nice. This area gives students a place to be out in the sunshine, all while providing a great study or hangout spot. This nook is just a beautiful place to spend your time. Sometimes a breath of fresh air is all you need to relax. 

St. Francis Peace Garden.

A view of the garden from inside the Father Peter Horton lounge.

Magdalan Chapel

          The chapel is a wonderful place for those who need a quiet spot for themselves. Sometimes life is stressful, chaotic, and confusing – especially freshman year. This sacred space gives you an opportunity to reflect, relax, and rewind.  All are welcome to use this area, no matter their religious background. Also, La Roche offers Catholic mass several times a week for those who might be interested in worship. 

          Hopefully this gives a glimpse of La Roche's campus and how some spots are especially beneficial. Look out for a blog post with a fall campus photo shoot to show off how beautiful it is in these autumn months. 

Best, 

Kim

Introduction

Hello one and all!

My name is Kim and I'm a junior at La Roche College. This blog is going to be a picture-based journal of my experiences at college. Feel free to comment and ask questions!

The following list gives you a quick look into my life.

I am a:

• Communication, Media, and Technology Major with a dual minor in Marketing and Professional Writing
• Redhawk Recruiter Officer (I give tours on campus)
• Makeup enthusiast 
• Certified level 1 archery instructor
• Novice filmmaker (I've learned so much from the student led film group, Redhawk Productions)
• Camp counselor 
• Public Relations Officer for One Youth (a student-led nonprofit organization that focuses on youth leadership and empowerment) 
• Swim instructor and lifeguard 
• Happy person :)

Trash pickup for Redhawk Production's community service!

Two of my favorite work-study coworkers, Rita and Abby, taking pictures at the Admissions office. 

Picture of a September sunset taken through Mahler's emergency door.

I hope this gives you a quick picture of who I am and what I do. This year, I plan on sharing my experiences on campus to illustrate what it really means to be a La Roche student. I look forward to posting about all of the fun that happens here! 

Best, 

Kim