The Sophomore Year Experience at TCNJ

Curtis Chan (left), Manisha Ford-Thomas (center) & Luke LaCroix (right)

By Curtis Chan, Manisha Ford-Thomas & Luke LaCroix

Welcome to your upcoming junior year experience! This is a critical time in your college years as you continue to plan for your future.  Your experience living on-campus will help you succeed.

Our residential area strives to develop a respectful, inclusive and engaged community that is centered on each member’s life experiences and expression of personal identities through advocacy, integration, holistic education, and reflection. Our mission is in accordance with the learning domains of the Department of Residential Education and Housing: we support residents throughout degree completion, assist students with post-baccalaureate transition affects, provides opportunities to develop life skills for the whole person, and make memories through the development of community.

Our area includes a variety of residential facilities; the College Houses on Carlton Avenue and Pennington Road, Hausdoerffer and Phelps halls, and Townhouses East, South and West.

You may want to think about your transition from a traditional corridor-style residence hall or suite-style hall to the apartment, house, or townhouse style living.  It is different because you not only share your bathroom with your fellow students, but you also share a living room and kitchen with your suite or housemates. You will need to think about how you wish to set-up and maintain those shared areas.

For juniors and seniors we focus on monthly themes and events appropriate for your development rather than frequent recurring programs.  We encourage students get involved in the “Big C” – the bigger community in and outside the College. We also emphasize the following aspects:

• One-on-one conversation with your student staff member
• Career development
• Graduate and professional studies preparation and finance
• Life after TCNJ

Our staff focuses more on personal connections. They conduct one-on-one conversation with you in order to develop a mature relationship and provide you with opportunities and services available to juniors and seniors at TCNJ.  It is also a good chance to establish a good connection with your house group or suitemates in creating a young adult learning community.

You may wonder, “How do I get involved?” Interpersonal relationships are very important because it is not a traditional residential area and the student’s experience in residence may be more isolating. Your engagement in the community will benefit you and your neighbors.  In the coming year you should consider attending events sponsored by ResEd, potentially join Residence Hall Association, and have your student organization collaborate with us.

Are you ready for the new challenge!?! We are looking forward to see you in August!

Luke LaCroix serves as the Assistant Director for junior and senior students in residence. He earned a B.A. at Fordham University in Written Communication and Peace & Justice Studies, a Master of Arts in Higher Education & Student Affairs Administration at The Ohio State University (OSU), and a Master of Science in Business and Human Resources at New York University (NYU).  Luke’s previous experience includes service as a residence hall director at Ohio State and a Community Development Educator for residential colleges at NYU.

Curtis Chan is the residence director in Townhouses East, West, and South.  Curtis earned a Bachelor of Social Science at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) in Hong Kong and a Master’s degree at West Virginia University (WVU) in Morgantown, West Virginia.  Curtis’s previous experience includes working as Graduate Assistant in residence halls and the Residence Hall Association at WVU, instructing the WVU University 101/First Year Experience course, serving as a unit supply specialist in the US Army Reserve, and interning in the international relations department at Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg in Berlin/Potsdam, Germany.

Manisha Ford-Thomas works as the Complex Coordinator of the Metzger Drive Apartments and College Houses at The College of New Jersey.  She received a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in African American Studies and a Master’s of Education Degree in Educational Administration and Supervision from Seton Hall University. Over the past 10 years she has worked professionally as an educational administrator in several organizations, after school programs, extracurricular initiatives and higher education institutions.  She is committed to empowering students attending institutions of higher education and works to create agents of change in areas of leadership, critical thought, diversity and inclusion one student at a time.

By Andy Thyrring

With the weather slowly improving, and the end of the semester around the corner, it’s tempting to set your work aside and enjoy your time on campus. Sitting in Alumni Grove, walking by the lakes, and sunbathing on the TW lawn might seem like preferable ideas compared to your Orgo homework or history paper. But before you let your work run away from you, remember that it is just a short couple of weeks before classes end and finals week begins. Rather than let spring fever take hold, find a way to balance your work with fun so you don’t find yourself cramming last minute.

First, sit down and write out all of your upcoming assignments. Do you have more or less to do than you thought? Trying to rely on your memory when it comes to your work might leave you confused with what all you need to do, and you might even have a false idea of just how much you need to get done. By writing your work out on a calendar, you know when your assignments need to completed by, if you have a particularly busy week coming up, and just when to schedule in some personal time.

Start on your work early. You might have two weeks to complete a paper or lab assignment, but do you really want to be stuck indoors the day (or night) before you need to hand in your work? If you can get it out of the way now, do it. As the weather gets nicer, you’ll be tempted to set aside your assignments. While you still have time, begin your homework and projects so that you aren’t rushing at the last minute.

If you have more than one assignment due, prioritize. Do the one that is due first, allow for some time to regroup, and then begin on the next assignment. Since you’ve put all of your due-dates onto a calendar, you can plan ahead for especially busy weeks and get the easier stuff out of the way first.

In order to find some balance in your routine, think about studying outside. If this is going to prove to be a distraction, reconsider. But if you can find a nice, quiet location that allows you to complete your work outdoors, take advantage of the nicer weather. It will keep you from feeling pent up inside and will avoid the stress of trying to find a quiet corner in the library or other academic buildings.

Once you’ve completed your work, set aside a healthy reward for yourself. Go to one of the local parks, take a walk, or simply enjoy the great outdoors. The added vitamin D from the sun will improve your mood, and getting your mind off of work will help you relax.

 A simple tip to remember: treat your classes like you would a job. You dedicate a certain amount of time towards your job – do the same with your classes and work. Once you are done with your work, the rest of your day is yours. You can feel accomplished knowing you got your work done, and can void the stress of feeling overwhelmed by your assignments. The semester is almost over – don’t lose your positive momentum just because summer is almost here. By using the tips mentioned here, you can be sure your finals weeks will be a success

Andy Thyrring is a senior Health and Exercise Science major, with a minor in Women and Gender Studies. She is the Assistant Residence Director of ABE Halls, and the manager of the TW Fitness Center. Andy will be attending the University of Denver in the fall of 2011 to pursue a master’s degree in Higher Education and College Student Development.

By Eman Hassan, Community Advisor

Let’s face it. We all experience a time where we are not sure where exactly we belong. Are we future doctors? Theatrical artists? Poets? Lawyers? Sometimes, we enjoy certain subjects, but what about our life outside the classroom? How can we be sure that we belong in the extracurricular activity, internship site community or workplace (after graduation)?

Those are some questions faced by several college students coming to college. Upon coming to college, students are approached with many decisions to make, including which activities and sports they wish to become a part of. Sometimes, college students can feel pressured to become a part of a certain organization, just to make friends. But what if it’s not their passion? These questions and pressures don’t disappear when you graduate from college though-they are just applied to other communities like the environment a person works in.

Something to remember is: feeling comfortable and content in a certain group leads to greater motivation. Activities provide escape, a break from the library’s dusty books, bright computer screen, and Starbucks coffee cups.

Here are a few steps to finding your own fit anywhere (school, work, internship):

Quality, not quantity: Come on. Admit it. We all love resume boosters! Having different activities is great, but make a list of what you want most from these activities. What do you learn about yourself? Do they stress your interests? Make sure that you stay true to what you are passionate about.

Trial and Error: It’s okay if there isn’t something in your new environment that exactly matches what you want to do. If that’s the case look at the situation in how you can apply the activity to an area of interest. Also feel comfortable exploring new things as you figure out what the right fit is for you.

Peer Pressure Sucks: If you are not happy with a certain activity, then don’t do it just because your friends are. Ask yourself: does this make you happy? Does this activity pertain to your desires and interests? If not, then you should reconsider. You will make new connections in an activity that you enjoy. (Read this article for more on your evolving social network.)

Innovation: Don’t be afraid to try something new. If deep down inside, you want to be on the stage, but you’ve never done it before, then go for it! It’s better to do something than to live the rest of your life wishing you had done it. Make the most of your passions!

Knowing Your Fit: If an activity keeps you coming back for more, then you know it’s the right one for you. If it makes you happy, and if you feel relieved taking a break and going to this activity, then you know that you have found your match. Be happy in your choices, otherwise it becomes a chore. Focusing on the tasks in your job can take a lot of work and energy, so you need something to take your mind off the books for a short while.

Find something that suits you, something that you love to do, something that makes you smile and laugh. Homework and studying is tough but just because you graduate it doesn’t mean that the homework and studying stop! You deserve to have an activity to run to in times of stress. And it’s okay if you don’t find the right one right away. Try different activities, explore your options, and see what you like!

Eman S. Hassan is an English major with minors in theater and women's studies. Someday, she hopes to be a professor and published writer. She is an active member of All College Theater and Residential Education and Housing. Eman loves the stage and helping people. This is why she signed on for these two clubs. Eman plans to find her place in the world outside of college by considering her happiness first and what makes her happy is literature.