Serena Mary Uliano '21

Hello! Wow, it is May!

I distinctly remember August days with a cluttered basement full of plastic containers and boxes filled with clothes and supplies for move-in day!

Now, here I am, preparing for finals and completing the last set of assignments I need to pass in. This year has been a rollercoaster, to say the least. There have been many ups and many downs. Yet, there have been more ups than downs!

I am grateful for this year. I have grown so much these past months. One of my most important takeaways is how I have learned the importance of making my own decisions. Only I can decide what is best for me and my future.

On an academic note, I have undoubtedly become a better writer. I have learned so much new material in my classes. Plus, I enjoyed sharing all of these facts with my friends and family! I am lucky to have had such intelligent and caring professors this year, too. They are some of the best mentors I have ever had.

I am also grateful to you, the readers! I have very much enjoyed this opportunity to chronicle my experiences this year. I hope my stories were interesting, and the advice I shared helped!

Once again, thank you for stopping by. Onto the future!

Sincerely,

Serena

Hello! Happy April! Only one more month until school is over. I cannot believe it!

I wanted to share with you all a fun resource Holy Cross offers us, students. When the full school week of classes comes to an end, it is nice to take a break. Some students decide to go shopping at Blackstone Valley; others go to the movies and more hangout with friends.

Some, however, utilize the shuttles from Holy Cross to Boston, MA… (for free!) on the weekends! I use this resource a lot! Taking a shuttle or taking an Uber to Boston would cost a lot of money, so I am grateful for the SGA (Student Government Association) for these awesome weekend shuttles!

When I do take a shuttle, I typically go on Friday nights or Saturday afternoons! (The shuttle runs on Friday and Saturday, different times for each day). I have friends that go to school in Boston and in Cambridge, so it is a lot of fun to see them on weekends.

I highly suggest using the shuttle service to Boston at least one time during your Holy Cross career! Free rides into a metropolis, what a great perk!

Thank you for stopping by. Talk with you soon!

Sincerely,

Serena

Hello!

I am assuming that you will be hearing about college decisions around this time or soon! (Basing on my results last year started to/ already been arriving.)

Regardless, I wish you the best of luck with your decisions! Plus, I wish you good luck waiting for colleges. Not only was the college application process stressful but now waiting is just as, if not more, stressful. Simply, at least for me, the stress comes from the unknown. No one, except the admission officers at the colleges you applied to know your status: whether you are accepted, rejected or put on the waitlist.

So, how does one cope during the waiting game?

1. Think positive! Easier said than done; I get it. However, if you keep hopeful and happy, your mindset will be better when you receive that email signifying decisions are posted.
2. Talk it out! Discuss your concerns, worries, fears, hopes, with your friends and family. Friends and family are your closest allies; they will give you good advice and help alleviate your stress.
3. Do activities that make you happy. Do you enjoy reading, watching movies, shopping, or playing sports? Do you like all four of those activities? Then, do them! Not only do you want a positive mindset, but you want a healthy and happy one as well.

Thank you for stopping by. Good luck!

Sincerely,

Serena

Hello! I cannot believe it is March! Just yesterday, I had a midterm, and now today is my first full, official day on break! Time is going by so fast; it will soon be May!

Over my spring break, I hope to relax and sleep, and sleep a lot! One activity that I want to do is read! I am hoping to read this book called The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I love period novels, meaning the novel takes place during a certain era, and, there is an adjoining movie coming out soon, sometime later this year! I will definitely attend the movie once it does come out. I want to watch some movies too, although I am unsure of which ones at present.

Also, I hope to spend some time with my parents, and I look forward to taking some day trips with them near the end of the week!

Yes, of course, there is the thought of completing school work. However, I will space out the work, since I will have more time to complete it all.

What are your spring break plans? I know of some who are traveling to warm places and then others who are returning home for the week.

I hope you all enjoy your week off!

Thank you for stopping by. Happy Spring Break!

Sincerely,

Serena

Hello! The Second Semester has begun, and it is already February! In only a few months, it will be summer, and in a few short weeks, midterms.

So, what is new? Well, for one, I have new classes, most of them in Stein. I have new professors, new school supplies, textbooks; you get it.

So far, so good. I am enjoying my classes! I am continually surprised and pleased with the new knowledge I am gaining. I am gaining interest in new topics as well, which is exciting!

So, what has stayed the same: my friends and, for the most part, my routine.

So, what am I looking forward to? I cannot wait to keep learning new material, exploring my options, visiting attractions, Boston, and embracing challenges.

I will keep you posted as my semester continues! For fellow students, what are you looking forward to this semester and to others, what excites you in the coming months?

Let me know!

Thank you for stopping by.

Sincerely,
Serena

Hello! I hope you are having a happy and healthy holiday season! My break was fun and relaxing. I caught up on things I had barely anytime/ no time at all to do during the semester. I watched TV and movies and read books of my choice! Plus, watching the Patriots on a large TV rather than on my laptop has been wonderful!

Also, I saw my friends who were away at their respective colleges and visited with many relatives.

One fun time I had this break was seeing the movie, “The Greatest Showman.” This movie was about the story of P. T. Barnum and his show, the circus. The movie had an excellent story, cast, and soundtrack!

I cannot believe college starts in less than one week. Time flies! Here’s to a happy, healthy, and successful spring semester!

What have you done over your winter break? I hope something(s) fun!

Thank you for stopping by.

Sincerely,

Serena

Hello! I am happy to report that I have completed my first semester of college.

There have been good days and bad, ups and downs, but I made it through!

What is different about college?

Well, a lot!

-In high school, my classes, library, cafeteria, were in one building, but in college, I needed to adapt to walking to my classes, dining halls, campus center, libraries, etc. regardless of weather

-Classes are shorter in college. Furthermore, I had a lot more free time, so I needed to learn how to handle all of this time competently to do homework, etc.

-Living with someone, and living in a building with many, many students is a different experience!

-As expected, there is more homework, readings, writing essays, all of that! However, I have enjoyed the challenge and learning SO much new knowledge!

I look forward to learning more next semester!

Thank you for stopping by. Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

Serena

Hello! As a first-year student, this is a question I have been considering a lot. What is the most effective way to prepare and study for finals? I suppose it depends on the final. Is the final a take-home paper, or is the final an exam?

For me, I have a combination of the two. So how will I go about each?

Final: Take home paper

1. Well, first, I completed any other assignments that had to be done by the last day of the semester.
2. However, I began outlining my thoughts in advance.
3. Then, I just began (and am in the process of) writing the papers, following the prompts assigned.
4. Lastly, after I have written the paper, I will go back and edit, edit, and edit!

Final: Exams

1. I began by considering all the material I have learned throughout the semester.
2. Then, I went through my notes (and still am doing this), deciding what information I have a good grasp on, what I think I know, and then what I need to study more to understand fully.
3. I will then rewrite my notes, using colored pens, highlighters, etc. (colors make everything better!) each day as my study tool.

I hope these tips help. Good luck with finals! Happy Holidays.

Thanks for stopping by.

Sincerely,

Serena

I remember trying to answer these questions myself. Now, I want to help break down the questions for you!

For some seniors in high school, these thoughts may be swirling in their heads. What is Early Decision? Should I take the chance and apply?

Let’s tackle the first question: what exactly is Early Decision.

Simply, Early Decision (ED) is applying to a school early. Also, you will receive notification if you are accepted, deferred (to the Regular Decision pool) or rejected earlier as well. That is all. However, there is one caveat: if accepted, you are legally bound to attend the college and cannot apply to other schools.

Should I take the chance to apply?

If you know that the college is your first-choice, and you would LOVE to spend four years there, then go for it! But, if you have any hesitations about attending the college, consider waiting for the Regular Decision round. This way, you will have more time to think about the college you really want to attend.

Remember, you never want to rush into a decision and then regret the outcome.

Do you plan on applying ED?

Good luck!

Thank you for stopping by.

Sincerely,

Serena