Inez Asante ’16

April among other things is the time when students from all over come to visit Holy Cross. The other day I was supposed to be doing Day Visit coordination but instead I got distracted ( a pleasant one I may add)! I started talking to prospective students about Holy Cross and my experience. Throughout the discussion it reminded me of what it was like to be in the positions of many high school students today, looking at colleges, trying to narrow down the list, analyzing every aspect and seeing if the college was the right fit. It has been a while since I’ve blogged and talking to these potential students reminded me of how important it is to tell my story on these blogs, even if it is about the smallest aspect of my day. This post is dedicated to all those students looking at Holy Cross and wondering “Can I be a student for and with others?” If by the end of this blog post any of the things I discussed interest you and appeal to you… I would say yes, yes you are!

 

Holy Cross

1. Academic life

People always ask how are the classes, or the professors, how did you choose your major etc.  So for those of you who can not come on a day visit at HC here we go! I will tell you about a normal academic day for me.

Wednesday

8 am:  Turn off my alarm at least 3 times in 15 minute intervals. The ambitious side of me wants to get up and finish whatever readings I have not completed from the night before but reality kicks in and I just fall back asleep.

9 am: Get up FINALLY and get ready for class at 10. They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day but laziness gets the best of me and my version of a breakfast is a water and a fruit cup in the morning… (Don’t tell my mom)

10 am: Latin American Politics with the great Professor Rodrigues. Right now in class we are talking about Brazil and their political history! I enjoy this class not only because of Professor Rodrigues’ enthusiasm for the subject but because it is interesting to learn about nations right near us!

11-1pm: Multicultural Education with one of HC’s best, Professor Fisher. Every week we discuss current events and the Worcester public schools. This is one of my favorite classes this semester and by far my favorite class I have taken at HC. There is never a dull moment in that class as we discuss what changes need to be made in order to improve the education system. Class discussions range from focusing on different ethnic groups and education, immigration and education, content and curriculum, teacher effectiveness, and psychology and education. This is a must take class in my opinion. There is a good chance you will walk out of the class tearing because you were laughing so hard!

1-2 Break time aka watch Netflix and get some lunch

2-3 Religion and Politics which is one of the courses I take for my Political Science major.  I enjoy listening to the feedback on the the relationship between religion and politics. Right now we are discussing court cases that deal with religion, the establishment clause and the constitutionality of laws.

3-midnight  do some  homework and catch up with my friends!

Wednesdays and Mondays seem pretty long but they go by really quickly. Tuesdays and Thursdays I am off  but I use those days to do school work and go to actual work and Fridays I just have two classes! So it’s a pretty sweet schedule! Well that’s all for now! I’m going to go take a nap. Hope you enjoyed: A day in my life!

 

 

Any time you can start a semester and immediately have snow days that interfere with classes, it’s essentially a recipe for Netflix binges and spending too many hours hanging with your friends and not doing your assigned class readings. With that said, it has to be set straight that Holy Cross never closes for any reason, so when this huge blizzard aka blizzard2k15 hit Massachusetts, we knew it was going to be bad because HC did the one thing it never does…. cancelled classes! I have never been so happy to have a blizzard…ever! The best thing about having a roommate with a car on campus is just that, having the freedom to run around town! We were able to go to WalMart and buy some last minute goods before the shelter was in place. Immediately after we went to  Olive Garden… yummy in my tummy!  My days have been filled with fun in the snow, cheering at basketball games with an electric crowd, and obviously trying to balance my love for Shondaland with my heavy load of readings. With that being said the semester has just begun and it is time to refocus and continue to build on the academic progress I made last year. 2015 has some great things in store!  Holy Cross has stepped up their campaign this semester to encourage unity on campus with events and panel discussions that embrace HC in Solidarity in order to bring different people together and depict all the faces on the hill! It is a great cause and one that has allowed an open forum for social issues! Now for me this upcoming week will definitely be one to remember as it is a very busy week for me, but hopefully I will have a lot to write about!

 

Thanks, for now!

Every year the Hanify-Howland Committee brings a prestigious speaker to campus to talk about their life experiences related to public service, and this year’s guest speaker was Neil deGrasse Tyson. As part of the committee, I was fortunate enough to attend the student seminar, dinner, and the talk! Weeks of preparation turned out to be an overall success with students, faculty, alumni, and others in the community coming out to hear Mr. Tyson. The talk was one of the best I have ever heard as his personality illuminated the room and his humor and knowledge  kept each individual glued to every word he was saying. Meeting and listening to Mr. Tyson was an honor and a pleasure!

 

After the talk, another event followed which was Senior Day! Senior Day is where we honor the senior athletes. As a junior it was up to myself and other teammates to make a gift for our senior captains and award it to them before the game. Luckily, they loved the gift and because I am so close to the seniors it was a bittersweet moment!

 

Now that the football season is over, we have moved on to cheering for basketball! Anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE BASKETBALL! SO this year when we went to TD Garden I took the time to enjoy the experience! I love going to the Garden because it’s where the Celtics play. It is also such a great opportunity for HC athletics and an honor to be a part of such a great cause which is Coaches vs. Cancer. At tip off we knew it was going to be a tight game, but it was such a thrill to come out with the win and beat Harvard, which was the 25th team in the country! I can tell this season will be a great one for HC Basketball!

 

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I want to start off by saying HAPPY NOVEMBER! I have to say I am loving November already because it is starting to get a little chilly…. possible snow might be arriving and that means official sweater weather (: Besides that, we have been given a great gift in an extra hour and trust me when I say that extra hour is much needed! Before I start talking about the good things November has in store for me, let me back it on up and rewind to talk about Halloween.

For some reason Halloween really crept up on me! I did not have a costume until Thursday evening, granted I had to get a little creative. I bought some wings and a halo and wore an all white outfit, nothing crazy but good enough for the  friday! Other than Halloween the rest of the weekend consisted of roommate bonding and good television, because this upcoming week is going to be pretty hectic for me in terms of activities and academics. I not only have meetings on top of meetings but papers on top of  exams! I am also starting to prepare for the Hanify Howland Lecture event which I am so excited for, it is such a great opportunity and privilege! Besides that, BASKETBALL SEASON has officially started with games on wednesday and friday!  We were able to cheer at their scrimmage on family weekend which was fun to see the squad for this season because they are very talented and can go really far! Ohh and there is also a football game saturday!  Hey, at the end of the day I know it will be a busy but very exciting week for me!

 

Since my last post my life has been pretty much consumed by two things: school and cheer.  The cheer team went to Harvard to support  HC Football and although we lost it was a great experience to cheer Friday Night under the Lights. The following week we had Homecoming Weekend which was very busy but equally as exciting.  My family came up for the weekend as well and it was great to see them. We ate off campus at my favorite restaurant in Worcester….7 NANA! Other than Homecoming, everything has been pretty normal. I find myself always doing work but that’s because it is that time in the semester where mid terms and papers are due. Wierdly enough I have not been stressed and I  think that means I finally figured out how to properly manage my time. We are about to go on fall break which means I can catch up on all my favorite tv shows!

Here are some pictures from cheer so far (:

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I can’t believe I am only two weeks into the school year, it feels like I have been here for two months. I came back to campus a little early to have cheer preseason and ever since then I have been on the go! We have added a bunch of new girls to the team and have expanded to a team of 17 which is exciting for the program. The football team is currently 2-1 which is extremely exciting and a great turn around! This cheer season I can tell will be something special!  Going into my third year I know my routine and the transition from summer into the academic period has been really smooth. I have started my classes which I really enjoy. Two classes are focused on Africana topics and the other two are law seminars. My professors  are really passionate about the material which make me excited to go to class.  I have also started working and interning. I am working in the Audio Visual department which is cool and different because I am actually learning more about technology than I could have ever known! I am interning this semester at an immigration law firm as a legal intern. It’s great to get off campus and go into the city of Worcester. The intern life has not stopped since the summer and I prefer it that way. I am excited to be exposed to more aspects of the legal field, as I try to figure out what my next steps will be in the future. Besides school, work, and interning, I have had a great time reconnecting with friends and meeting people. This year is a little different because a lot of people are studying abroad but I am definitely making the most of this year!

Coming home for summer break early May, the only thing I was certain of was that I could not wait to get home and relax. After ending the second semester of my sophomore year all I wanted to do was eat, sleep, and see family! Sooo… I did that! However, as much as I love doing nothing ALL DAY EVERY DAY, it got old quickly.

This summer I was fortunate enough to have two working opportunities. I worked part time as a Sales Associate for Lord and Taylor, while interning for Time Warner Cable Media in their Human Resources Department.  I went from doing nothing and getting my relaxation on, to working in the city full time  9 to 5 and honestly I would not have it any other way. I love my experience working with people in retail, I am able to develop my customer service skills, merchandising, and styling talents while learning a lot about fashion. However, I realize how lucky and blessed I was to receive the TWCM internship through Holy Cross. Every day I had a little taste of  working in the “real world.” Every week there was a speaker series in which we would listen to prominent people at TWCM talk about their experience, job, and the future of TWCM. I was able to work closely with my supervisor, within the department, and collaborate with the other interns to present a final project. This experience taught me so much about myself, the business industry, and the importance of networking and constantly learning.

Along the way I met some fantastic people, took away some important lessons, and gained tremendous experience.

I learned that it is okay to not know what you are doing for the rest of your life

1. Many of the leaders the interns interacted with took unique paths to get where they presently are today. There is no set path to get where you want to go, the important thing is to love what you do. We can never know where we will end up but be open to possibilities!

2. Navigating through NYC is actually easier than it seems. One of my personal goals was for this Jersey girl to take the Subway – I did that!

3. Human Resources is the center of any business. HR holds the business together and creates the environment for the workplace. The reason I enjoyed my time at work is because HR was very hands on and always had something going on for the employees! Without a great HR department , a business can not be successful. It is similar to the admissions and orientation teams at HC.

4. Personally I learned that I want to  work in the sports or fashion industry but on a business level, whether it is HR or even Marketing, maybe even corporate law- who knows?

What I do know is that this summer has been one focused on growth.  However, I did have some fun including going to the beach,  exploring the city, even visiting Philadelphia a couple times and taking some painting classes! I went from 0 to 100 real quick (Thanks Drake!) and I am ready to go back to HC to start my third year of school….. Crazy how time flies!

My advice for anyone, especially Freshmen is to make a visit to Career Planning. The earlier you get involved with that fantastic office- the more prepared you will be and the more opportunities you are aware of at HC and beyond!

 

Friday, April 25th I participated in Holy Cross’ Relay for Life. I have to say this event made my weekend! The event kicked off with a kimball dinner at five with all the participants. Then we headed down to the field house. The team I was on  was HC Cheer, my teammates and I dressed up in camouflage and wore purple bandanas to show our HC pride, and with our fabulous sign in hand we went on to enjoy the event. The relay was a great time with numerous activities, foods, and great company but more than anything it was a time to celebrate, remember, and fight on for loved ones who have been affected  by cancer. This was the best part honoring those who we love and support. This made the walking beyond worth while! In addition the whole event raised over 28,000 dollars. All in all it was a great night and a highlight of my sophomore year!!

On Saturday morning a number of Holy Cross students spent their day volunteering in the Worcester community, I happen to be one of them. Myself along with the rest of the cheerleading team went to South High School in Worcester. One of my teammates used to attend the Public High School so she showed us around and talked about her experience in high school. As an education minor, this was a great opportunity for me to explore other high schools than just my own in NJ. While we were at the school we worked in the attic and helped out a great cause. South HS is home to a great organization called Andy’s Attic, which provides used clothing for those in need not only in the high school and surrounding communities but for those all over Massachusetts. The organization devoted to the memory of a young man Andy who tragically passed away was a great way for volunteers, students, and others to help in anyway they can specifically through clothing donations. Once an order comes in the clothing is sent to the individual in need. The closet was filled with clothes for toddlers, babies, men and women.  I am so happy I had the opportunity to learn about the great things South HS is doing with Andy’s Attic and also participate in helping to reorganize the clothing! I hope to stop by and volunteer in the future because this truly is a great cause.  Sometimes we forget there is a life outside the gates of Holy Cross because of all the school work and duties we have going on in our life, or atleast i do! It is always great to step outside and get active in the community. I would definitely  say HC Cares Day was a success!!

 

Anyone who knows me, understands my love for sports and specifically basketball. Sunday was College Basketball game day, a little different from the usual Saturday. In a televised game Holy Cross took on Bucknell. In a game that would be competitive it lived up to all expectations and was even better. The number of people who came out to support the team was fantastic as the court benches were completely filled. From students, people in the community, and parents, everyone came to see a great game. I have to say the game was electrifying from the finesse plays to the dunks that absolutely brought down the house. Holy Cross defeated Bucknell and it was purely magical. I loved witnessing the enjoyment on both sides. Besides the basketball game not a lot has happened.  I enjoyed a great night with friends eating pizza and watching the superbowl, going out  and enjoying the sites in Worcester to top it off.

I have been very busy with school and applying for internships. I have been taking advantage of the career planning center in order to prepare for the internships. They have helped me greatly in forming cover letters and editing my resume! I have revised my resume about four times and I am still working on it! But hey practice makes perfect! My participation in extracurriculars has decreased in the spring semester but I am now focusing on my classes for the semester. In other news I have also finally declared my major. I am officially a Political Science major!!!!!!! It has been a long time coming but I am happy I decided to major in Political Science. The next step is declaring my minor, but we’ll wait till next time for that one!

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Inez Asante '16

  • Studies: Political science and psychology double major with a premed concentration
  • Hometown: Plainsboro, N.J.
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