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x3erica1037Filed under: Class of 2013, Duquesne News, Mike, Uncategorized, Weekly Review | Tags: duquesne, enjoy, Pittsburgh, weather
I’ll be the first person to tell you if you don’t already know Pittsburgh can have some harsh winters. That’s why I’m hoping you are all taking full advantage of the warm weather while you still have the opportunity. Going to class and then going straight back to your dorm room is not very healthy. Take the chance to sit outside, walk around campus, go for a run, or just enjoy the sun. Once November hits you’re really going to miss the sun. I’m not saying it’s horrible when it gets cold, but enjoy each season. That’s another great thing about Pittsburgh that it’s a four season city. Enjoy the little things that make Pittsburgh/Duquesne special, whether it’s the warm air, the first color change on trees, the first snowfall, or the first feeling of a spring breeze. These are all things that take us away from the occasional stress of school. Life is about enjoying the little things. College will keep you busy, so time goes by pretty quick. Make sure you don’t forget the little things that make you happy.
Filed under: Bloggers, Class of 2013, EricaT | Tags: college, duquesne, duquesne university, freshman, freshmen, learning communities, liberal arts, mcanulty, orientation, Pittsburgh, summer
Hope everyone’s having an amazing summer so far! These hot days have been flying by and it’s already July so I figured it was about time for a quick post now that there’s an entire new class of Duquesne freshmen and transfer students.
If you’re new to the blog, you should know that my name is Erica, I’m an upcoming sophomore in the McAnulty College, and I write for this blog to share my experiences at Duquesne with anyone whose interested. Right now I’m just offering a chance to get questions answered or clear up any confusions about McAnulty, Duquesne, move-in…pretty much anything Duquesne related. If I don’t know the answer off-hand I’ll do everything I can to figure it out so everyone has as smooth of a transition as possible. Get ready everyone, because you’re gonna love the Bluff! 🙂
Please feel free to submit any questions or comments to this post and hopefully I’ll be able to get back to you with an answer as soon as possible. So ask away!
-Erica
Filed under: AlyssaF, Bloggers, Class of 2013, Uncategorized | Tags: duquesne, duquesne university, exam, finals, freshman, freshmen, learning communities, liberal arts, narratio, Pittsburgh, Strong Women Strong Girls, summer
After twenty-four full hours of totems, charisma (as in “deep truth revealed by cosmic order, recognized by social adherence”), and modernity, I thought I would officially commence the summer with one last blog as a freshman at Duquesne University. Finals sucked, I’m not going to lie. Luckily, I only had four finals (instead of the dreaded five) and I think I did well on all of them. My classes were awesome, my professors helpful, and my experience wonderful!
Let me tie up some odds and ends:
I think I’ve finally decided on a major… sort of. I entered Duquesne as a journalism major, enrolled in the Narratio learning community. Although I have decided to not pursue a career in the journalism field, I could not be happier with the path I took. Besides the obvious elements (such as making great friends, having awesome professors, and fun opportunities…like blogging!), I have found many of the classes I have taken this past year will be helpful in building my future curriculum. For example, Media and Society has been a great stepping-stone to future classes I will be taking. So, without further ado, I have decided to make my own major. The liberal arts college offers this incredible program in which a student literally makes a major of their own. With the help of my adviser, I decided this was the best path for me because of my future goals (to go to NYU and get a MSW/JD). If you have your heart set on Duquesne, but the liberal arts college does not have the exact major you are looking for, I would suggest looking into the program. In order to do this, I must compose my curriculum plan to our dean along with my reasoning for this course of study (major summer project). What do I plan on studying exactly? I like to call it a degree in feminism… it will be a unique combination of media studies, sociology, women studies, and conflict resolution.
That brings me to my next point: you’re never too new to get involved. Though countless advisors, interviewers, and peers have told me I am way ahead of the game, I think I am just trying to stay on the right path, following my passions. So, as my summer plans shape up, I will be working for an OB/GYN Monday through Thursday, and Fridays and Saturdays will be devoted to my internship, the first exciting leap into my career path. I briefly mentioned it before, but since it began in January, I have hardly had the time to blog about it. Anyway, I will be an intern for Ms. Courtney Martin, feminist activist and author. The Women’s Center Therapy Institute, in NYC, has asked to be the frontrunner for their international campaign against distorters of body image. The campaign, entitled Endangered Species: Preserving the Female Body, is scheduled to occur in March of 2011 and I am ecstatic to announce that I have currently been working on the guest list!
In terms of getting involved on campus and in Pittsburgh, I would encourage new freshmen to step out of the comfort zone and just try everything. Organizations I have become heavily involved with are CONTACT Pittsburgh, Strong Women Strong Girls, the Liberal Art blog, and Residence Life, as well as Phi Eta Sigma (the freshmen honors fraternity) and Lambda Sigma (the sophomore honors fraternity). Becoming involved was one of the best decisions I have made all year. Sure, it took guts to attend all those initial meetings, but luckily I have them. J If you don’t, please, please take me up on this offer: email me, comment me, ask me questions etc. Being involved is key, especially as a Duquesne student!
Thinking back to high school, I still don’t enjoy being a freshman a.k.a. “fresh meat” and the like. But at Duquesne, faculty and peer leaders somehow manage to make it less scary then James Caldwell High School did. In fact, it’s not the kind of scary where you want to go home or eat lunch in the bathroom; it’s more like scary before a performance, a date, or a speech. Oh wait… I think the word for that is excitement.
Happy summer, see you all in August!
Alyssa
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: college, duque, duquesne, mcanulty, Pittsburgh
Check out some new pictures from around campus 
Filed under: AlyssaF, Bloggers, Class of 2013 | Tags: duquesne, duquesne university, Pittsburgh, service, Strong Women Strong Girls, time management
I happen to know for a fact that my RA is on duty on Tuesday nights. (Yet, this is to be expected after doing rounds with her.) So, last Tuesday, right before Easter Break, I had a bunch of floor mates over to hang out before we all headed to our respective homes. When Hailey, my RA, knocked on the door to do her post freshmen involvement forms, I was surprised by what I heard.
As she went around the room asking each of my friends what they had become involved with, I was impressed by how these girls manage their time. Every person in the room had become involved with any programs, clubs, or sororities Duquesne has offered. As time goes on, I am finding this is not uncommon for the Duquesne University student. Many organizations are very welcoming to freshmen, and our students seem to want to be involved.
However, as I listed all the things I have planned for next year, I became increasingly overwhelmed. Here is the list I spewed out to Hailey:
Strong Women Strong Girls: I’m sure everyone knows my now I am a mentor for Strong Women Strong Girls and I love it! This is an awesome organization to be a part of, especially if you plan on going into education, gender studies, or PR. The sense of community established among Duquesne mentors is welcoming, but because the organization is in many cities, the feeling of being part of a tri-city volunteer organization is very powerful.
Resident Assistant: I was accepted to be a resident assistant. Of course, there are many benefits to this job, but I hear it is very time consuming. Nonetheless, I am very excited for all aspects of the job. In fact, I find out where I will be living next year tonight.
Phi Eta Sigma: This is a freshmen honors society. I think about 250 freshmen students are members. Commitments include bi-weekly meetings.
Lambda Sigma: This is a sophomore honors society. Only 50 students are accepted into this fraternity, which fosters leadership, scholarship, fellowship and the spirit of service. I am very excited to be a member of this organization. Requirements are weekly meetings and 13 hours of community service a semester.
CONTACT Pittsburgh: Contact is an incredible organization: it is a 24-hour crisis hotline. After many hours of training (50+!), I am now a volunteer. This is not a very big time commitment (after training, that is) but it is a cause that I wholeheartedly support. It very rewarding work, and while challenging at times, I am very happy to be involved.
Gwen’s Girls: Gwen’s Girl is a group home for girls ages 8 to 18 who are underprivileged. There are many different opportunities to get involved in this organization – I had planned on tutoring after school and peer mentoring. The only downfall to volunteering at Gwen’s Girls is the location: it is difficult and dangerous to get to without a car.
Internship: I have mentioned before I will be working for Courtney E. Martin, author and activist, through out the next year. We are working on an international campaign against the distortion of body image, the thing I am most passionate about! This is a great opportunity and I am hoping it will provide an irreplaceable learning experience and also open future doors. I would highly advice anyone and everyone to look for an internship
…And of course, blogging!
With such a long list, it is hard to believe in August, I entered the Duquesne community, completely uninvolved and a little lost. Therefore, if anyone is interested or unsure about in getting involved, whether it is in any of these organizations or other organizations on campus, please, please feel free to talk to me. Also, any questions on time management… I’m your girl!
Alyssa
Filed under: AlyssaF, Bloggers, Class of 2013 | Tags: duquesne, duquesne university, freshmen, learning communities, liberal arts, narratio, Pittsburgh
Just about this time last year, I was attempting to choose a learning community for my freshmen year. I know I was a little unsure of how much weight this held, how it would mold my year, and how to decide. Let me try to remedy that:
First and foremost, let me say that Duquesne’s Liberal Arts learning communities are awesome! They all really help integrate students into the Duquesne community instead a blunt transition. For this reason, you are “safe” picking any learning community offered. Basically, being a member of this community entails a couple things – you will have four core classes with these students (three first semester and one second), you will work on a service project with them through out these semesters, and you will live on the same floor as these people. Each community features different classes and a unique service project. These range from organizing organ/blood donation to publishing a book for senior citizens of Pittsburgh.
There are several ways you can choose your learning community.
- By Location: Each community lives on a specific floor in a specific building. I know there are many rumors about the two buildings, Martin’s and Ann’s, and some students pick their learning community based on these locations. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS because it is not guaranteed the community will reside in the same location.
- By Professor/Director: If you have met a compelling professor featured in a specific learning community, you may be interested in joining that community. Before picking this community, however, speak with the professor about the community: they will have a lot of great insight to offer you!
- By Curriculum: While I would not solely choose your learning community based on curriculum, it is important to look at the classes each community requires: in reality, this is where a large amount of your time will be spent. I would encourage you to venture out of your comfort zone if there is a class you have never taken or do not fully understand, but if one class appears totally boring to you, that is something to consider.
- By Goal: Each learning community features several nouns and a catchphrase summarizing what will be achieved in this community. For example, as a member of Narratio, my phrase is “Create a story about your community”. This is what appealed to me, and as I continued to read about the courses and Dr. Sora on ratemyprofessors.com, I realized this was the right community for me.
- By Others: I know that some people are afraid of not knowing anyone in their learning community and band together with friends or acquaintances in order to prevent this. I would highly advise against this – first, there is no need to worry about being alone; chances are most people will be in the same place as you. Second, the curriculum and service project will take up a majority of your time. If you are not particularly interested in these requirements, the learning community experience will not be as fun and beneficial!
Here is a quick synopsis of each learning community (you can find more information here: http://www.duq.edu/liberalarts/undergraduate/learning-communities/index.cfm)
RATIO (RAH’-TEE-OH) reckoning, reason, judgment, method
Improve your analytical thinking skills.
Director: Dr. Michael Irwin, Department of Sociology
POPULUS (POE’-POO-LOOS) people, crowd, multitude
Explore the dynamics of cultures and societies, masses and movements.
Director: Dr. Charles Hanna
PERSONAE (PER-SOH’-NYE) parts, roles, characters, personalities
Consider how individuals and groups shape one another.
Director: Dr. Leswin Laubscher, Department of Psychology
ORBIS (OR’-BESE) circle, the world, the earth
Study other lands, cultures, and states.
Director: Dr. Mark Frisch, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures
NARRATIO (NAH-RAH’-TEE-OH) telling relating, narrative, story
Create a story about your community.
Director: Dr. Joseph Sora, Department of Journalism and Multimedia Arts
LITTERAE (LEE’-TER-AYE) letters, literature
Explore literature and society.
Director: Dr. Stuart Kurland, Department of English
JUDICIUM (YOU-DEE’KEE-OOM) trial, legal investigation, judgment, decision
Search for truth and justice through evidence in the public sphere.
Director: Dr. Ronald Arnett, Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies
FIDES (FEE’-DES) trust, confidence, belief, faith
Challenge and strengthen your most important beliefs.
Director: Dr. Jotham Parsons, Department of History
FIDES (FEE’-DES) trust, confidence, belief, faith
Challenge and strengthen your most important beliefs.
Director: Dr. Jotham Parsons, Department of History
CIVITAS (KEE’-WEE-TOSS) state, citizenship, city-state
Prepare to make a difference in community and governance.
Director: Dr. Tsekani Browne, Department of History
Good luck,
Alyssa
Filed under: Bloggers, BrittanyK, Uncategorized | Tags: duquesne university, Pittsburgh, running, South Side, Station Square
The warm weather seems to bring people outside for the first time since fall. On campus alone, students can be seen sunbathing, doing homework at tables outside, and enjoying their Starbucks on the patio in the Union. Spring is the only thing that keeps me going in winter. During those long months of early dusk and having to run inside on a treadmill, I think about the warm sun in spring! Now that it has finally arrived (hopefully for good!) I’ll share some of my running paths from campus.
1. Here is a link to MapMyRun.com, where users can route runs to get distances or share with friends. This is a 5.17 ish mile run from campus, but it can me easily shortened by turning around earlier. This run starts by going down the South Side steps and crossing over to the “Jail Trail.” Turn left at the trail, taking it past the jail and to the Smithfield Street Bridge. Run across the bridge, and turn right down the steps on the other side of the bridge. You’ll be in Station Square, where you can take the trail past the restaurants and hotels, and turn around wherever you please. http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/us/pa/pittsburgh/318126926560493837
2. Here is the link so a shorter run around Duquesne campus. MapMyRun.com says if you circle campus using Forbes Ave. to Stevenson Street, behind St. Martin and Towers on Bluff Street, and back to Forbes using McAnulty Drive, the run is 1.21 miles. To make it longer, simply do the loop 2 or 3 or 4 times. You can switch it up by changing directions each time. http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/us/pa/pittsburgh/272126926607532384
3. Here is a link to a slightly longer run. MapMyRun.com says this route in 4.53 miles. You begin by going down the South Side steps to the “Jail Trail” and turning left. Take the trail all the way past the Birmingham Bridge to the Hot Metal Street Bridge. There is a separate walking/running path of the Hot Metal Street Bridge, which is awesome! When you get across the bridge, you’ll be in the South Side. The map takes you down East Carson St. to 10th Street. Turn right onto the 10th Street Bridge, go through the tunnel, and end up back on Forbes Ave. You can make this run longer by continuing on East Carson Street until it becomes West Carson Street and you are in Station Square. There, you can run on the trail through Station Square (like in run #1) and take the Smithfield Street Bridge back to campus. http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/us/pa/mt%20pleasant/561126926643894534
These are just a few runs I do while on campus. If you have another other routes, MapMyRun.com is a great tool, and please share them with everyone by commenting on Facebook or posting a comment on the blog! I could always use a new running route!
Be sure to run with a friend!
-Brittany
I have to say, I honestly did not realize how exciting St. Patrick’s Day would be in Pittsburgh. However, by the time I woke up on Saturday morning, there were tons of green students outside. I looked out my window to see green everything. Now when I say green, I mean clothes, hair, body paint: the works. Later, as I went to Towers brunch at about 11:30, students were just returning from the parade. They were chanting, making noise, and having fun. Everyone was wearing green still, except me of course. It seems like the parade was a great gathering for Duquesne and Pittsburgh.
in 2008, Hilary came!
I did not quite make it to the parade, so if you did, let me know how it was!
Alyssa
Filed under: AlyssaF, Bloggers, Class of 2013 | Tags: bolt bus, duquesne, duquesne university, Pittsburgh, Spring Break
I had previously stated I planned to spend part of my Spring Break in Boston. After just making it home to New Jersey from the Northeast, I had a few comments I would like to share.
First, I actually was not staying in Boston. My best friend, Claire, goes to Tufts University in Medford, MA, which is about 20 minutes out of the city. This school was absolutely beautiful, although it was much more isolated than Duquesne University. There were some very unique aspects about the school. On my campus tour, I discovered that the library roof is student accessible and has a garden and a wonderful view of the city (not as nice as ours of the Southside of course). It was a really beautiful place, both in the day and at night. I also found it very cool that the chemistry building was specifically built to implode instead of explode because of the chemicals it houses.
In Boston, everyone uses the “T”, which I believe might stand for the train. It is very similar to the subway. My friend Claire was astonished that in Pittsburgh, students use the bus system much more often than the subway equivalent. We argued intensively about the pros and cons of our respective public transportation source. In sum, while the bus system allows for transfers, and ends up cheaper overall, it does not stop at every stop, much like the T, so it is easier to get lost. In my opinion at least, of course the bus system won out.
I also uncovered a little known secret through my travels. Boston is a very hard city to travel to because the airport only flies into three airports: Cleveland, Newark, and some other location. So, in order for me to get there last Thursday, I had to fly on a connection plane, which had all of ten aisles to Cleveland. After this landed, I was delayed about two stressful hours until I finally left the ground, Boston-bound. On the way home, instead of traveling back to Pittsburgh, I was coming home to New Jersey, which offered many more options. After doing a lot of research, I discovered the Bolt Bus, which is an incredible way to travel! The Bolt Bus is equip with leather seats, outlets and Wi-Fi. Unfortunately, the Bolt Bus only goes to major cities, so yesterday I took the Bolt Bus into New York City from Boston. It was a great way to visit cities on weekends, especially because tickets range from 10 to 20 dollars! For me, the Bolt Bus is a great asset to me, living so close to New York City. I can take cheap weekend trips to Philly, Washington D.C. or Boston again. Although I don’t love traveling alone, I guess I will have to get over it if I want to be a world traveler one day. 
Happy Spring Break! If you are traveling somewhere warm or visiting friends, enjoy your trip. If you went home for spring break, enjoy home cooking. I got the best of both worlds!
Alyssa
liberalartsduq.wordpress.com 