A Bantam's Blog: Paige

So the title says it all basically–WELCOME!
I have got to be honest with you, there is something so real and scary to me about the fact that I am graduating in seven weeks and welcoming the class of 2017. It feels like yesterday that we thought we weren’t even going to make it to 2012 because of the Mayan Calender myth and now its 2013 and I’m graduating and you’re graduating highschool and…okay you get the point: time flies really fast. But nonetheless I am really excited for you!

And let me tell ya, YOU are coming at the best time ’17s. Trinity just built the beautiful Mather new quad, is currently building luxury high rise townhomes on Cresent Street, (kind of– this is a slight over exaggeration but the bottom line is that they’re awesome and I am really jealous of whoever gets to live in them!) and Trinity is revamping the Vernon Social Center and bringing GOLDBERG’S BAGELS to campus. I have never been more proud and more envious of anything in my entire life. That is not a gross overstatement. (http://www.goldbergsbagel.com/)

You, ’17, are the start of a new chapter in Trinity’s history,  just like I was and the three grades below mine were. Congrats! Get your Bantam on. So what is my biggest advice to you over the next four years? (not that you asked but I’ll give it to you anyway) Be grateful, be thankful, love your Bantams, and let yourself experience all that Trinity has to offer. You don’t want to be like me trying to cram EVERYTHING that I haven’t experienced yet (there is SO MUCH AWESOMENESS TO EXPERIENCE) over 4 years of college into the last 7 weeks I have here.

Congratulations 2017! Welcome to Bantam Nation!

As my academic career at Trinity comes to a close, I reflect on my three favorite courses. Well what makes them my favorite? 1) These courses challenged me. They made me examine the world around me, the way that I think, act and respond. They showed me a new way to look at concepts, both simple and complex. Most importantly, they fed my interest in getting a law degree someday. Keep reading, here they are!

1) Law, Argument and Public Policy (PBPL 202)
This course changed everything about the way I think and communicate. Taught by Professor Ned Cabot, a former attorney and Chairman of Common Cause, I learned how to analyze and argue like a lawyer. In this class we studied Supreme Court cases, wrote case-briefs on many of the most controversial and high profile cases in history, and argued these cases in teams in front of the class and Professor Cabot. Like a True Socrates, Professor Cabot called on students in class whether they raised your hand or not, and stopped them in the middle of your argument to comment or ask you a question. He taught me how to take criticism, to think on my toes, and communicate effectively.

2) Protests in Music (MUS 234)
Taught by Professor Gail Woldu, this course was probably the most interesting course I have taken. Before this course I knew anecdotally the meaning of “protest music.” But after a semester of studying Beethoven, Bob Dylan, African American Blues Women, Ice-Cube and other protest musicians I cultivated an understanding of and appreciation for how music responds to society, defines society, and changes society.

3) Latin American Economic Development (ECON 231)
This course, taught by Professor Miguel Ramirez, is the reason why I am a graduating with a minor in Hispanic Studies. Although the course was an economics course taught in English, the combination of history, economic theory, public policy and politics was absolutely fascinating. In all of my Spanish courses, I constantly find myself reverting back to the information that I learned with Professor Ramirez that semester.

I took all three of my favorite courses early on in my academic career at Trinity and they really shaped the kind of student that I am today, and the kind of professional that I aspire to be when I graduate.

What happens when your closest friends are in all of your classes, have the same adviser as you and are studying for the LSAT at the same time you are? MAYHEM! …KIND OF.

You see, I am a faithful Public Policy and Law major. I became a PBPL major after taking my first year seminar with Professor Renny Fulco. She is the director of the PBPL program and is also the reason why I decided to pursue the major. Someone so passionate about policy, politics and the law Professor Fulco takes the passion that her students have for these three subjects and combines them into one rewarding program.

In this major I take all kinds of courses. I study law, philosophy, statistics, economics and policy. I am a true student of the law and I will leave this major with superior analytical skills, research skills, writing skills and problem solving skills, as well as a passion to attend law school in a few years.

But most importantly are the relationships I have made. The friendships I have made are due to a PBPL course taught by Professor Ned Cabot. It is a course focused on cultivating oral speaking skills as well as argument and analytical skills. We read Supreme Court cases, wrote briefs and argued the cases in class. SO COOL. But what this class really taught me is how to work with people and how to communicate. Working in teams for oral arguments, my classmates and I worked exclusively day in and day out preparing our side of the case. We holed up in Peter B’s Cafe in the library perfecting our wording, rehearsing our line of argument, standards and premises. Before we knew it everyone was very good friends!

My PBPL classmates are very close. We do so many activities together and I attribute our closeness not only to my fabulous professors but also to Trinity’s wonderful open curriculum. Without the open curriculum and the initiative of professors to teach creative and life changing courses my experience would be so much different.

I am lucky, but so are all Trinity students. Many students in other majors have had similar experiences. At Trinity you learn from your friends and with your friends. The classroom is a bonding agent in Bantam Nation, and for me it’s been my favorite part about being a Trinity student.

Check out the PBPL’s blog Policy Voice! http://commons.trincoll.edu/policyvoice/

pbpl students!

As a senior at Trinity there are certain rights of passages that you get to take. For some students, it’s taking President Jones’s seminar. Others choose to live off campus and get a taste of the ‘real world’ before they move on. Some perform in senior recitals and direct their own plays. But some people, like myself have a different right of passage in mind. That passage is writing the senior thesis. Just as important as writing the thesis however, is being able to claim the *yes you know it! hint hint its in the title* senior carrel. Although you cannot see it in the picture below, my senior carrel boasts my full name inside of a name holder along with my major. Said carrel is equipped with my own light, a bookshelf, a chair, ample writing space and outlets for my electronics. You may be thinking “this girl is really raving about her carrel?” Yes I am.

You see, the Raether Library is a hot spot at Trinity. If you want a good spot in the reading room, or a secluded general carrel in the stacks you gotta get there early–especially during midterms and exams. Bantams love their study space, which is why as soon as I decided to write a thesis I found out how to reserve my own space.

There are little luxuries in life and my carrel is one of them. Situated amongst my closest public policy and law classmates in the back of Level A of the library is my carrel. No distractions (well…kind of), no competition for study space, no asking your friends to save your seat and of course, there is the ability to sprawl out!

Below is a photograph of my carrel a few days ago as I prepared to write a chapter for my thesis.

This past weekend was Trinity Homecoming 2013 and boy was it a blast! Obviously most colleges around the country have the sweet tradition of the homecoming football game when alumni come back to bond with the current students over their love and loyalty for their mascot. But at Trinity it is so much more than just love and loyalty! On Saturday Trinity played Amherst for the homecoming title and added another win to their undefeated record in the NESCAC this year! The game was amazing–both teams played so well–but in the end we Bantams stepped up and pulled out the win. Trinity has not lost at home since 2004, which is an absolutely amazing feat when you think about it! Here at Trinity we definitely cherish our chicken coop. But when I think about Saturday, what made the day amazing was more than just winning the football game. It was the camaderie among alumni, current students, families and friends. I found myself basking in the sea of gold and blue, bantam hats and ”Fear the Chicken” tshirts. Seeing some of my friends who have graduated and listening to them talk about how well they are doing now makes me so appreciative of my time at Trinity and excited for my future ahead.  My biggest wish is that my fellow peers and incoming Trinity students will feel the sense of pride that I felt on Satuday and remember how lucky we are to go to a college like Trinity.

Today Trinity announced a college wide evacuation for any students who are able to get home, in lieu of Hurricane Sandy touching down in Connecticut in just as few hours! Unfortunately, I am one of several Trinity students whose home is more than 7 hours and 300 miles away so Trinity is, to my appreciation, making accommodations for me to stay on campus. Plus, home for me is smack dab in Sandy’s path anyway.

Fortunately I am not alone! My roommates also live sort of far away and so the four of us are hunkering down here in Jarvis awaiting Sandy. We just went to the Cave and the Bistro (two of our dining halls on campus) to stock up on non perishables like crackers, cookies, peanut butter and waters. We hooked up our DVD player and are about to go on a movie marathon.  Usually in a storm like this, I would be pretty scared but I feel pretty confident because Trinity is making sure that we are going to be just fine. The Dean of Students Office has sent us email updates explaining how to register if we are on campus, who to call if we experience any problems, and what our Emergency Operations Center is prepared to do in the worst case scenario.

It’s really nice that in times like these, I am reassured that Trinity is truly my home away from home. *Sigh*…here’s to Reason #876 why I am going to really miss this place after I graduate…

See ya after Sandy!

Autumn at Trinity is a time of year that I will miss so much when I graduate. The colors of leaves changing and that smell of frostiness in the air hinting at the coming of winter make the transition so nice. My favorite part about autumn is that it makes midterms that much easier to bear. Looking out of the window at the changing colors and clear blue skies from my window that faces the Long Walk Quad always relaxes me as I study with a cup of coffee usually bought from Peter Bs. (PETER BS COFFEE IS SOOOO GOOD!)

The changing seasons remind me that my senior year is already going by so fast! Makes me cherish Trinity so much–the small interactive classes, the beautiful library, the architecture, my relationships with my professors and everything else in between.

This past Saturday, the football team hosted Bates College at home—and we won. My family came to visit because it was family weekend AND it could not have been more beautiful outside. Fall weekends at Trinity are going to be one aspect that I will miss so much when I graduate because there is always some kind of athletic event happening, sometimes two or three at a time, and everyone is decked out in their navy and gold. School spirit aka Bantam Spirit is something that I think is unique to Trinity College. Even if you are not the cheerleading type, it is hard not to become swept up in the contagious energy of the Bantam community on game days. My friends and I made sure we made a trip to the bookstore to stock up on newer Trinity Bantam wear.  Even though most of the Bantam teams are away next weekend, I cannot wait for the weekend of October 6 when all the teams are home again and I pull out my navy and gold gear for another Saturday of Trinity College Bantam spirit!

A few weeks ago was my last first day of college classes. I knew that I was only going to have four of them, but it is so unbelievable to think that there really are no more! My friends and I woke up that morning in a bustle. One girl was off to her internship, two of my friends had 9:25 AM classes, and my other friend and I were afforded a little bit of extra sleep because our classes didn’t start until 10:50 AM.

My 10:50 AM class “PBPL 331: Immigration/Integration Policy” with Professor Williamson went pretty smoothly. The class is full of students in my major, Public Policy and Law, so everyone is pretty comfortable with each other. The small classes at Trinity, like PBPL 331, are in my opinion the best aspect about the college. Small classes have helped me develop my communication and presentation skills, and have also allowed me to develop relationships with my peers inside the classroom. Many of these relationships have turned into meaningful friendships. When many of us are gearing up for the Law School Admissions Test in October (CROSSING MY FINGERS!!), it is really nice to have their support and know that we are really all in this together.