Hamilton College Admission Journals: Tara Apo-Priest

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:51:53 GMT

The warm and generally pleasant weather this Fall. For speculation’s sake, it is a little eerie as well, I mean it’s almost December and we haven’t had any snow! Note to the weather gods, this is NOT a complaint.

Waves and whoever invented Surfing. Hey, it was the Hawaiians! Mad props to my people for that one.

The creators of Rock Band and Guitar Hero. While we’re on video games, much thanks also to the masterminds behind Legend of Zelda (particularly Ocarina of Time, though Twilight Princess was, in my opinion, also a worthy installment), and we should probably give a shout out to the creators of Super Mario World (the Super Nintendo version with the duck shooting game). Video games in general are a pretty awesome invention.

Internet. Need I say more? Which brings me to…

Apple. The pretty computers and toys, neat functions, cool apps…and the fruit!

Video chat, mostly because it is adorably amusing how amazed my grandmother gets when she sees someone’s head on a computer screen talking to me.

Shall we just throw in technology?

Ancestors of mine for settling in Hawai’i...really great choice, far too many reasons to name. I'll just say: Of course it’s wonderful to live in “paradise,” but the true value lies in the culture and lifestyle, dear to my heart and like nowhere else on earth. Also, the beach, ultimate soother of my soul. That reminds me of another special place I am thankful for…

New York City baby! Clearly, I couldn’t leave this out.

Invention of the text message. I know, I know, the parents and grandparents roll their eyes, but really it is extraordinarily convenient, and you can’t argue with that one.

Great T.V. shows because they are so entertaining and engaging. Obsessive addiction to a good series is one of the more beautiful things in life.

Music. Music concerts, instruments, getting lost in a sea of sound…not to mention the accessibility of music nowadays. You can find anything.

The plethora of scientists, thinkers, writers, and inventors of the past that have provided the information, speculation and perspective now available for us to build upon and utilize. All those that helped pave the way to a better and more complete understanding of the universe and our existence in it. Similarly, the influential individuals who were willing to think for themselves and were courageous enough to pursue the changing of prevalent thought in their time. They have allowed me to live in a fairer, more accessible world and enjoy freedoms unfathomable in the past.

Tom C. for his patience with our, I’ll call it untidy, G-road apartment. Seriously, the man is like a monk. Tom you are awesome and I am thankful for you!

Written language coupled with invention of the printing press. Books, writing, the flow of information…and it’s kind of astounding that you can read a book by an author long passed, and it’s almost as if he’s speaking directly to you. The product of his mind and existence, his ideas, are all there for you to interpret. It’s a pretty cool connection, if you want to get deep about it.

Sports, and recreation in all it’s various forms…life can be so much FUN…when we are not stressing ourselves out with work and…life.

Airplanes (how else would I get home?) and the convenience of modern day transportation. The world is my oyster!

Hole punches (3 hole punches to be exact).

Mirrors. Sounds superficial, and maybe they’re more trouble than they’re worth, but can you imagine not ever being able to see a clear reflection of yourself? How would we know what we look like?!

My taste buds for providing me with some truly wonderful experiences…I think you’ll all agree with me after Thanksgiving dinner. Also, blueberries are delicious (I’m still making up for about 18 years of not eating one single blueberry…talk about deprivation! To be fair though, Hawaiian food kind of beats everything else).

Last but not least, Hamilton, of course! For the experiences, opportunities, growth, maybe a bit of learning... just joking I’m loads smarter than I was a few years a go :)

So folks, there is loads to be thankful for on this full of thanks day. Your turn to make a list, it’s fun! On that note, a very Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Until next time,

Tara

Snapshot of a Typical Tuesday Night

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:08:24 GMT

It’s 1:00 a.m. and I’m in KJ sitting on a big comfy couch chair at a table on the second floor balcony overlooking the atrium/big open study area/whatever you want to call it. I took a nap today after P.chem lab and woke up at around 10:30…so much for a regular sleep schedule, but sometimes you just have to go with it.

Once I arrive at KJ, the first thing I do is…check my facebook of course! Not that I’m expecting anything to have changed since the last time I logged on, I don’t do anything on it myself. But look, my friend Amma has tagged me in several photo--woo hoo! Now I have to look through the entire album of 120 photos.

I then take some time to stare at all the people downstairs, studying, socializing, reading, typing, talking…

45 minutes later and my Modern book is still open to the same page…ok, I really need to get to work now. A sugary snack will probably boost my brainpower, so first I decide to go to the vending machine. I see a package of Skittles and think that would be perfect, but it’s sitting behind a Butterfinger. Do I buy the stupid Butterfinger to get to the Skittles, or should I just go for the Twizzlers right next to it? I don’t even like Butterfinger, and I’m pretty annoyed it’s in my way. I opt for the Twizzlers, which I probably haven’t eaten since I was 5, but sounds oddly satisfying right now.

All set to study…but what music should I listen to? I have been listening to the same 3 MGMT songs on repeat for a while (Time to Pretend, Kids, Electric Feel), it’s time for a change up. I browse through my itunes, stop on John Mayer and the Rolling Stones, create a few unsatisfactory genius playlists, and decide on silence.

Shall I continue to tell you about the texts I now send to my friends asking them if they are up, studying and interested in walking to K.J., or do you get the picture? I procrastinate!!! And it's baaaaad, bad, bad.

This was a night last week...thank God it's now Thanksgiving break (tell you all about that later)!

Be back soon with another entry, in the meantime give thanks and don't procrastinate.

Tara

Course Registration!

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:28:09 GMT

Course registration period is always an exciting time. I’m like a giddy kid in a candy shop when I look at all the cool classes I get to choose from, not to mention that browsing classes is an excellent alternative to doing any homework you might be avoiding. Instinctively, my inner nerd tells me that taking 5 science/math classes will bring me ultimate happiness, but this is generally not recommended…something about an unbalanced schedule.

Yes, it’s true! There are no core requirements at Hamilton…but there are some courses that are just too awesome to miss. Introduction to Existentialism (Philosophy) with Todd Franklin is one of them, and it must be with Professor Franklin. Trust me now, and thank me later. The class is an eye-opener. The material is thought-provoking and asks you to consider radical new perspectives, and Professor Franklin conveys complex and often confusing ideas in a very understandable and relatable manner (i.e. he is a GREAT teacher). Plus, Todd Franklin is one of the most extraordinary men I know, I could rave about him all day long, but I’ll spare you. Seriously though, there are many Hamilton students who are inexpressibly grateful to him not only for the experience of his classes, but also for his support and compassion...so go talk to him! Alright, alright, enough of that.

On another note, I often find myself astounded by the Hamilton student’s ability to accomplish the colossal amount of work that is demanded. At times it seems that everyone here has an impossible pile of assignments to get through and we wonder how in the world we are going to get it all done. Somehow, we always make it to the other side (albeit sometimes in a raggedy state).

With that in mind, happy Monday and welcome to the beginning of a new week! Ok, so I have a Physical Chemistry and Modern Algebra exam on two consecutive nights in a row, but we won’t focus on that. I mean, yes, we will, but there’s a bright light at the end of the tunnel…Thanksgiving break starts on Friday! These breaks we get always seem to come just in the nick of time…one week later and we might all explode. Thanksgiving...Thanksgiving...Thanksgiving...BREAK...FRIDAY...ALMOST THERE...

Well, wish me luck with my week (and good luck with yours too). See you on the other side!

Tara

Sunshine, Snow and Swine Flu

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:19:13 GMT

The beginning of the week was beautiful and warm with sunshine. On one pleasantly cool night, my roommate and I made two big mugs of hot tea, grabbed a big sheet, and lay under the stars on the field outside our G-road apartment. When is the last time you’ve lied in the grass, stared up at the big sky and amused yourself with all the picturesque cloud formations?

In other news, the other day I went to Barnes and Nobles with Zeynep Harezi, my friend from Istanbul. Short story: I met Zeynep on my Adirondack Adventure trip (awesome, pre-orientation wilderness adventure), along with Kazarae Lowe. The three of us were inseparable freshmen year, and the two beautiful ladies still remain some of my closest friends at Hamilton.

Anyway, we went to Barnes and Nobles to study for the afternoon, for a change of environment. Something you should know about me: bookstores are one of my favorite places in the world. I know, I know, I just said that about NYC, but it’s true. Now give me a big bookstore in NYC and I will be the happiest of campers.

On the ride to the bookstore:
Tara: Zeynep, don’t let me buy any books. I have a big problem compulsively buying tons of books whenever I go to a bookstore.

Zeynep agrees.

Well, I only leave with 5 books three hours later. Nevermind the fact that I never seem to have time to read at Hamilton, the point is, YAY 5 new, exciting books! I’m into (auto)biographies and nonfiction right now, I want to learn from great figures of the past!

There is this valuable skill that, as a Hamilton student, I feel a little silly to never have developed. That is, the art of studying in the afternoon. For some reason, the night just seems so much more appropriate to me, and man do I pay for it…in hours of lost sleep! Seriously, can someone demystify this habit to me? Until then, hello KJ late nights. But then again, judging by the amount of fellow late-nighters, perhaps I am not the only one perplexed by the afternoon studying ability.

The past couple of nights have brought Hamilton’s first few layers of snow and frost…but Saturday is bright and sunny and the weekend forecast is looking good.

I think I am going to take a nice walk before I start studying for the day (Hamilton is a great walking/jogging campus!). I have been sick for a few weeks and am in desperate need SUNSHINE and NATURE!

Until then, enjoy the sunshiny weekend (and avoid the flu!)

1 Day of Sunshine = Happiness

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:38:07 GMT

SO, despite all of the whining in my last entry, fall break turned out to be exactly what I needed: an unscheduled block of time on a relatively empty hill. My plan for fall break was to get caught up on a bit of work…a lot of work, and you’ll be glad to know that I am much less behind than I was before!

YESTERDAY it was a beautiful, soul-invigorating 70 degrees out, and for that I swear I won’t complain about cold for the rest of the year – my heart will keep warm from yesterday’s sunshine.

As promised, I depart with the second installment of my Hamilton escapades.

Our saga continues with the conclusion of a phenomenal freshmen year full of great friends, hard work, tons of fun, and new experiences:

College summer #1 looms up and rather than travel back to my home in the islands, I receive a summer research grant to stay on campus and investigate Microbial Diversity in Meromictic Green Lake, under my wonderful genetics professor, Jinnie Garrett, along with our fabulous microbe expert, Michael McCormick. The basic idea: The Green Lakes near Syracuse exhibit some unique and highly interesting chemical properties and we want to know what kinds of microbes live at different depths, and what kinds of respiratory methods they employ. Cool fact: About 22 m beneath the lake’s surface there exists a layer of purple bacteria! Purple! Stuck at a depth in the middle of the lake!

Summer at Hamilton is great; I get to play with high-tech nucleotide separating and DNA sequencing devices while my lab partner, Greg Ray, entertains me with the corniest jokes imaginable all day long. I miss Greg (now at Cornell grad school) and the awful jokes :(

Enter Fall Semester ’07
Let's compare the first half of my sophomore year to annihilation by nuclear warhead: why, yes, they are quite similar. In light of this, I decide I need to take a semester off pronto and live in the big, bad apple. New York city has captivated me down to my last fingertip...what a magical place full of sheer awesomeness! Clearly I will be needing to spend more time here (grad school, anyone?)

An aside now, for a school legend:
There is a great big, raised map of Hamilton in the middle of campus. If you step on the map at any point during your enrollment (or perhaps even prior to…prospectives, beware!), legend predicts that you won’t graduate in 4 years. Wah, wah, wah, silly superstition right? Well, I happened to step on the map as a freshman, oblivious then to the college’s wise ways. I am now a semester behind. Oooooooh, coincidence or Hamiltoncollegemaplegend destiny?
End aside, with the comment: just don't step on the map.

Farewell, New York, and now onward to a summer in Boston for my first, completely independent and self providing living experience. I work at Massachusettes General Hospital in a biomedical genetics research lab on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disease for which there is no cure and little is known about possible causes. The opportunity is golden. Noted self growth that occurred during my stay in Boston: I discover a hidden passion for onions (a previously despised vegetable) and become a master omelette chef.

At some point that summer, I officially decide not to pursue a career in research, AND I make a confident decision about Med school: Fascinating and rewarding though the field of medicine may be, I am not willing, at this point, to make the time and lifestyle commitment demanded of a doctor - there is too much else I want to do in life, I want to do it all!

But what does a premed student do when med school and research are no longer primary pursuits? Why, she switches to a Math major of course!

I have one more, vitally important thing to say about my summer in Boston: I read Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand. Please go read it, right now. And I don’t want to hear anything about amoral selfishness or the evils of capitalism, just read it like a book and prepare to be inspired. Do NOT assume a predetermined negative attitude towards it and do NOT approach it as a controversial work of philosophy, just as a big, fat, juicy book. Dagny Taggart, you are my role model.

We interupt this presentation with an important message to the reader: HAPPY FRIDAY!!! Prime Friday, I might add, which implies PUB THIS AFTERNOON!

More next time, beer in the meantime!