For the Last Time...

This past week has been different.  I haven’t heard the signature AT&T ringtone that had served as my morning alarm for the past month.   I haven’t met Calvin and Eric for breakfast at the Robert Purcell Community Center, or made the journey to Goldwin Smith Hall with them.  And I haven’t let a moment pass where I do not miss my days on the East Coast.

This has not only been an investment of a month, but an experience that has been about seven months in the making, ever since Don had made the trip to the El Cerrito High Performing Arts Theater to host an informational assembly regarding the opportunities that the Ivy League Connection can provide.  I was immediately interested in applying for the programs, as I have had friends who had participated in various courses last year and had loved it.  At this point, Brown’s Macroeconomics and Cornell’s Freedom and Justice were the two programs that had attracted me the most, and that is where the journey had started. 

“Explain how the ‘ban the box’ movement has affected the rights of convicted felons versus the rights of employers and coworkers.”  In summary, my answer to this question was a turning point in my journey with the ILC.  After not being selected for the Macroeconomics program, Cornell’s Freedom and Justice was the next course where the essay was due for admittance into the interview stage.  The “ban the box” movement was a social advancement to eliminate a checkbox on the common employee application that asks whether the applicant has been convicted of a crime in the past.  My suggestion to revise the box and develop a separate confidential document to elaborate on any past convictions of an applicant might have seemed to be a deciding factor, as I joyously received an e-mail inviting me to participate in the interview stage of the process.  After much preparation followed by a successful 20 minutes in front of a judge panel, I was admitted as a member of the Ivy League Connection. 

Of course, along with all the delight and relief that I was experiencing over the next couple months, I also did not know what to expect going in.  Luckily, I had the support of friends, family, and even people that I didn’t know but was so lucky to encounter, such as regional Cornell alumni.  Through our dinners with past Summer College students, including two friends of mine, and our luxurious dinner at Prospect in San Francisco, I was able to gain the best insights on what my experience on the East Coast will be like.  I was so grateful for all the people that were able to guide me along the way prior to our departure.

As much as I would love to retell all the day-by-day events that we experienced between Philadelphia and Ithaca, you have all heard it before and I could spend my time speaking of other things.  Our time in Philadelphia was a great introduction to the East Coast.  I was able to get to know our cohort, especially the Hercules kids, and had a great time traveling by myself.  The university visits have been extremely beneficial; I was able to decide what I want in a college and, just as important, what I don’t want.  We explored a great variety of schools, which shared many similarities and differences even though they are all belong to the Ivy League. The University of Pennsylvania stuck out to me as the most attractive, especially through the campus visit and our tour guide’s ability to not only explain what the school has to offer academically, but what activities and social life are present on and off the campus, something the other tour guides did not explore in depth.  I have found out that a suburban campus is my most preferable choice, but while visiting Princeton, and later Cornell, I realize that a more rural campus has its advantages as well, such as an active presence on campus.  In contrast, Columbia University had to offer not only a superior level of academics, but also a lively off campus options in the heart of New York City.  Nothing better helped me get a sense of a great college than our three weeks at Cornell though. 

Summer College was a life changing experience.  In and out of the classroom I learned a great deal of things.  I am so grateful for studying under Professor Kramnick and Ulas, they provided us with a level of education that could be found nowhere else.  Professor Kramnick was able to revolutionize the way I will ever think about the topics of freedom, justice, and equality, and has succeeded in steering the definition of “lecture” away from “boring” for me.  Ulas has been an agent in my greatly improved writing, allowing me to develop a clear and concise thesis especially. They have changed the way that I think and have already identified differences within myself based on the improvements that I have made during my trip. 

I have also developed socially through this trip.  Along with my cohort, I was able to meet so man new people who were all very friendly and considerate.  Learning about people’s backgrounds and cultures fascinates me, and this course provided me with the perfect opportunity to meet these people.  I am going to miss all those days downstairs in the Uris Library and playing pool in the Robert Purcell Community Center with all these people that I am unfortunately not going to be able to see again.  The opportunity to make new friends from all over the world has really been a valuable experience that made this program all the more special.

One of the reasons why this trip was so memorable was thanks to our cohort.  Our group was so cooperative and easy to get along with and really made a difference in the success of this trip.  As the journey continued we really started to behave like family.  In fact, according to the Cooperstown Hall of Fame family membership, the seven of us are a family! I would like to thank Mr. Chan-Law especially for his exceptional leadership and responsibility throughout the trip; he was a great mentor and friend who stuck it through with us during the extent of the trip. 

In addition to my cohort, this trip could not be made alone.  I want to send a second thank you to all of the Ivy League Connection administrators and generous sponsors, especially Mr. Ramsey and Ms. Kronenberg, members of the WCCUSD School Board, and Don Gosney, who does a marvelous job organizing and keeping contact with all 40+ ILC students.  Also Professor Kramnick and Ulas for delivering their masterful level of education to us.  And Asher and Riley, our R.C.A.s who did the best job in making us feel welcome at Summer College and provided a smooth transition into dorm life at Risley.  And once again to our cohort, who made this trip all the more memorable.  This truly has been a terrific experience that I will never forget.  I cannot believe how much I have changed as an individual and how important this trip was for me in determining my future.  Though this may be the end of a wonderful journey for me, the next step is to educate the next generation of ILC Cornellians as they will make this trip on their own next year.

The Final Good-Bye

I can't believe it's finally time for the final blog. I won't necessarily miss it, but it does mark the end of this trip. It's a bittersweet feeling.

I did not do much today - for once, there were no quizzes to study for, no office hours to go to, no phone calls home to make; it was my first real day of summer vacation. I did volunteer from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Richmond hospital; it was good to get back to my regular routine. Tonight I am starting a new book series, and tomorrow I am running with my dad in the morning. I almost feel like I am in a dream - that I really never left Cornell, and tomorrow class starts at 8:30 with an hour-long lecture with Reneta, followed by some computer work with Mark. I can't say that I will miss the class itself; business did not turn out to be my forte, and I struggled to try to think of customers in terms of money instead of people (I will stick with osteopathic school).

I will miss the traveling. Whenever I had free time, I tried to explore the campus by either walking or running on a new route. I went into random buildings, read the flyers and the posted student projects, and tried to see what student life was really like at Cornell. My biggest regret was that I never fully explored the town of Ithaca; but maybe I will get another chance next year. I liked the warm summer weather, but winter might be tough for me. I also did not like living in the dorms too much because it was hard to share a bathroom with 20 or more girls who had varying ideas of what cleanliness was.

My favorite part was probably meeting new people. Even in my own class of 80 students, I could always learn a new name when I had a question, or when I sat with someone new during lunch. Everyone had their own story, and I wish I could have heard every one of them. One of the perks of going to a big school like Cornell is being exposed to a little bit of everything; I believe that is one of the purposes of the Ivy League Connection. As students, we represent our school and district; and as a program, they give us the opportunity to see schools beyond the limits of our backyard. I've seen experienced first-hand what it could be like to take classes at a big university. Sometimes it was hard because there were so many students and only two teachers; but it would be easier if it was a class I was passionate about. I feel like I have so much more to consider when I apply to colleges this fall. I will still apply to a couple of California schools, like Cal Poly San Louis Obispo. Now though, applying some East Coast schools does not seem so far-fetched; the Ivy League Schools feel especially possible now that I've met students who actually attend. I was able to talk with them intelligently, and that was the best way to make being accepted by these schools feel possible. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity the ILC gave me. The actual trip only lasted for four weeks, but the memories, and the friends, may last a life time. Next stop, college applications!

Leaving Ithaca

It's been almost 24 hours since our plane landed last night at the San Francisco airport, and I am still adjusting. From the application process into the Ivy League Connection to actually arriving at Cornell, and finally to writing this last blog at home, this has been one very long adventure. Before I get into that, though, let me describe my last day in Ithaca....

I woke up at 7:30 AM in my air conditioned Statler hotel room and in a comfy bed that I was going to miss. I quickly got ready, finished packing, and met with Mr. Chan-Law, Eric Wang, and Frank to drop off our suitcases at the airport. We didn't have any trouble (though the employees were surprised at how early we arrived), and we headed back to eat breakfast with the rest of the group. I quickly changed, but we were a little late waiting for Eric and Frank. We ate at Collegetown Bagels; I didn't really like it, and the hotel group had to rush because our graduation ceremony started early. We made it in time, and people mingled for a few minutes before we were briefed by Mark on how to walk in to the hall. The graduation ceremony was in the same room that we met in on the first day for orientation, and I think everyone was feeling nostalgic as pictures of the past three weeks were flashed on the PowerPoint. A handful of students from the class talked about what we had learned, and Group 6A gave their hotel presentation for all of the parents and relatives. The TAs also put together a picture slideshow with more pictures. Finally, we were called up to get our completion certificates and a copy of our final report. Everyone congregated outside to say their final good-byes, and then it was over.

We all met again in the lobby at 12:05, and drove to the airport for the last time - stopping once more at Collegetown Bagels to pick up lunch. We ate at the airport, got through the short security line quickly, and then our trip home truly began. I slept through most of the Ithaca flight, and played on my iPod while waiting for our connecting flight in Philadelphia to San Francisco. There was not much to do during those last six hours: I mostly worked through my puzzle book, listened to music, and thought about how the trip has impacted me. It was great to land and after four weeks finally see my family; it took awhile to get my luggage, but my boyfriend and my father were there to keep me company. I didn't get home until about 10:30 PM (thus, this blog is a day late), and after being greeted like the Queen of England by my pets, I almost immediately went to bed. As fun as sleeping in the hotel and dorm beds were, I really like sleeping in my own bed better.

Back Home

My own bed! Today we traveled across the country from Ithaca to Hercules. We, Frank, Rachael, and I started the day early when we checked in our luggage at the airport before we went to graduation. At graduation, several student speakers were asked to go up and give an example of a presentation and explain to the parents what we covered during the past three weeks.

As soon as the presentations concluded, Mark was his energetic self and called us up group by group to give us a certificate for complete HAdm 1101 and a copy of our final group business report. Graduation blew by and it made me realize that as much as I wanted to stay with all my new friends, the clock was ticking and that the time to leave gorge-ous Cornell was drawing near. Frank and I (Freric as our friends and Mark named us) spent the next half and hour mingling, taking pictures, and talking. It was a sad moment when slowly, one by one, or two by two, our friends filed out of the Statler School of Hotel Administration to make their way home.

After all the graduation ceremonies ended, our cohort packed up our last few belongings and headed to the airport and left Cornell and Ithaca for Philadelphia. It was so hard to watch Ithaca grow smaller and smaller out of the plane window as our plane flew higher and higher and further away from Cornell. In Philly, we had a short layover where we grabbed a bite to eat and then boarded our final flight back to San Francisco. I spent the majority of the flight back sleeping, listening to music, and more sleeping. Before I knew it, we were descending into the sunset on the bay at SFO. It was cool to see the fog crawling over the hills and the beautifully colored sky as the sun set.

Currently I am enjoying the comforts of home, but I know that I want to go back to Cornell and study in Cornell's School of Hotel Administration! I am determined to be a Hotelie!

Goodbye Cornell!

The last day at Cornell finally arrived. I woke up at 7:00 in the Statler instead of the dorm, 2 and a half hours before our graduation. Mr. Chan-Law drove Eric, Rachael, and I to the airport early to check in our bags. We came back to the Statler to dress up for the graduation. It was nearly 9 AM, but I was struggling with my tie. After finally fixing my tie, Eric and I met up with the rest of the ILCers to eat our breakfast at Collegetown Bagels.

Collegetown  Bagels from the Car.

Finishing our bagels, we arrived at the Statler building just in time at 9:30 AM. Everyone already there were well dressed and were just hanging around, before Mark brought everyone inside a classroom. We discussed how the graduation was going to work, how people were going to walk, and how he was going to pronounce everyone's names. Quickly afterwards, we set off to the auditorium. It was a small graduation because it was only our hotel class, which made it feel closer because I knew most of the students. Music was playing and it felt like an actual high school graduation. In the beginning, we had student speakers talk about our experiences at this three week program. Two of them were from my group, Linna and Josh. Shortly later, Mark called out each of our names. We all got a certificate for this program and a copy of our final report. Finishing off our graduation, the TA's put together a special PowerPoint that had pictures of everyone.

At the end of the graduation, everyone stayed to say their last good-byes and take pictures. Eric and I were there for about 20 minutes  before heading to the Statler to finish packing for our trip back. It was sad, seeing people that are from different states or countries for the last time because it is unlikely that I'd be visiting them anytime soon. I will still try to keep in touch with as many people as I can. As Mr. Chan-Law was driving us to the Ithaca airport, I tried to get my last pictures of the amazing campus.

A Last Look at the Statler Building Where my Class is.

After about an estimated 15 minutes of driving, we were finally arrived at the airport that would take us away from New York. We ate our sandwiches from Collegetown Bagels as lunch on the benches there before setting off. The airplane was like the one from last time, with propellers. I sat next to Alex on the plane, and the chairs were comfortable for such a small plane. An hour later, we arrived at a familiar place, Philadelphia. At around 5 PM ET, we grabbed lunch at the airport. It felt right to get Philly Cheese steaks, so everyone except Rachael (she's gluten intolerant) got one. After our quick lunch, we went on our final plane. It was a sad moment, sitting there, knowing this would be the last time here for a while.

Our Airplane to Philly

Fast forward 6 hours of flying on a plane, we were back home. Our long happy voyage has come to an end. We all said our farewells to each other when we checked out our luggage. I had a lot of fun with all of them, and hopefully, we'll have a reunion some time soon.

Reflections on the Final Day at Cornell

I woke up to the sound of music playing out of the iHome alarm at the Statler Hotel.  I already knew today would be a hard day, leaving the campus that we have called home for the past three weeks.  I took a shower and packed the remainder of my luggage. To be honest I was a little sluggish this morning as we had a late night at the Statler to cherish the remaining hours at Cornell.  I headed downstairs to meet the group for breakfast, which would be at the locally well-known Collegetown Bagels.  The bagels lived up to their reputation as we enjoyed a breakfast away from the Robert Purcell Community Center.

The Hotelies had to leave soon after breakfast to attend their graduation at 10 o’clock.  They had already checked in their luggage at the Ithaca Airport earlier in the morning; the rest of us headed toward the airport after breakfast to check in luggage.  I saw Jonathan, who was in my discussion group, the first of the many people I would have to say goodbye to today.  From the airport we headed to Kennedy Hall for graduation. 

Seeing our friends at graduation was the saddest part of the day.  We already had our goodbyes with friends who had early morning flights, and seeing the rest of them go was hard.  We lined up alphabetically with our fellow Freedom and Justice classmates, but soon visited with Matt in VetMed and Ganeev in Body, Mind, & Health along with many others.  Everyone gathered into the hall to begin the ceremony.

Ms. Eller, the Summer College Administrator, opened the program with concluding statements about the program: what we have learned, how we have changed, and so on. Afterward, each class’s teacher gave a speech and called the students up individually to receive their certificate. Freedom and Justice went second after Design, and was followed by Body, Mind, & Health and then VetMed.  After the ceremony we met with classmates, friends, and Professor Kramnick for pictures before we had to leave to catch our flight to Philadelphia. 

Everything was different after leaving Ithaca, practically leaving our home. The flights home seemed longer; the atmosphere was completely different.  On the bright side, I ended up being 4 for 4 in getting the aisle seat on the flights, and the journey home provided one last bonding event for our group.

I am so grateful for having this experience. The things that I have learned have been invaluable and the people I have met here have been amazing. I want to thank the Ivy League Connection staff, administrators, and sponsors for making this trip possible, as well as Mr. Chan-Law for making this journey with us.  He has been such a wonderful, responsible chaperone who we all have really gotten to know over the month; I couldn’t think how a high school teacher would volunteer to spend their summers with even more kids, but I’m sure there are other privileges involved in participating in this program.  I also want to thank Professor Kramnick and Ulas for being such masterful educators. They have really changed my perspective not only on governmental philosophy, but also on matters of thinking in general and analyzing philosophy. Also Asher and Riley, our R.A.s, who have really made me feel welcome at Cornell since the beginning of my stay. Finally, I am so grateful to be able to share this experience with my fellow cohort: Calvin, Eric Wilson, Eric Wang, Frank, and Rachael.  We have developed a special bond that I know is going to last beyond this program and I am truly grateful for that.  

The End of the Road

The end has arrived. Since the beginning of this trip to now, it is amazing how far we have come. I would like to save some of my inner thoughts of this trip as a whole for a later blog. So without further ado, here is a recap of our last day at Cornell University Summer College

The Hotel group had to wake up earlier than us Freedom & Justice folks in order to check in their luggage at the airport and then return in time for breakfast and their graduation. However, considering that the ride to the airport was less than ten minutes, we didn't really get to sleep in. We all met in the lobby of the Statler Hotel and went to breakfast at around 8:50 AM at Collegetown Bagel. It seems that they are the talk of the town, but I didn't really find their bagels to be one of a kind (maybe I was just too tired to notice). After breakfast, the Hotelies left for their graduation while the rest of us went back to the Statler to get ready to check in our luggage at the airport. The check in process was short and smooth since there were no passengers at the airport at that hour. Once we were done, we headed back to Cornell to attend our (Freedom & Justice) graduation.

Our graduation was combined with Design, Mind Body & Health, and Veterinary Medicine. Surprisingly, many of the students in our class had already left so about half (maybe less) of us were there. The graduation process went by a lot quicker then I thought which, in some way, saddened me. This was the last time we would probably ever see our friends we have made at Cornell in person. Of course there will be social media to connect, but this meant that all our fun times had come to an end. Our last conversations with our friends were filled with joy, laughter, and memories. I ended up taking pictures with all of our friends that the camera eventually ran out of batteries.

After graduation, we met up with the rest of the Cornell cohort to depart for the airport. On the way, we picked up our lunch at Collegetown Bagels once again. The process was delayed due to a messed up order. Cornell seemed to be holding us back, wanting us to stay for just a little bit longer. Once we got our lunch, we headed towards the airport. I couldn't help but to be saddened by the thought of leaving Cornell. It was my home for three weeks and it had become so familiar.

At the Ithaca airport, we took a regional plane to Philadelphia where we had a two hour layover. To make things worse, the fire alarm went off at Philadelphia International Airport and went on for a good half hour. The time eventually came: we boarded the plane that would take us away from the east coast. However, once again, it seemed that the east coast wanted us to stay just a little bit longer as the plane was delayed on the runway. We finally took off, leaving the east coast with some amazing memories.

Cornell Summer College has been a remarkable experience. I am sad that it went by so fast. I would like to thank all those that are a part of the ILC and Cornell University. We have reached the end of the road and now it splits into different routes. What we choose to do with this experience is now up to us.

Conclusion, And So It Ends

The end of my time at Cornell and our journey home began around 8:30, when I woke up for breakfast. The dorm rooms cannot compare to the luxury and comfort of the Statler. A night there was a fantastic way to end the trip. Breakfast was at Collegetown Bagels where I had a salt bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon. Then the Freedom and Justice Group went with Mr. Chan-Law to the airport to check in our luggage. Then it was time for the graduation ceremony.

Graduation for Cornell Summer College was a much more meaningful event than I had anticipated. The director and all the professors made brief speeches describing the programs and praising the students. Class by class we walked to the front to shake hands (or hug) our professor and TAs then received a certificate making us official Summer College alumni. After there was time to take photos with students and staff. Unfortunately my TA left before I got the chance to get to him and ask for a photo.

After the ceremony, we picked up our sandwich lunches from Collegetown Bagels and drove to the airport. Saying our final (at least until college) goodbyes to Cornell. After a brief wait we boarded the tiny plane which would take us to Philadelphia. We spent 2 hours in Philadelphia mainly charging our accessories and eating. All the guys ordered the exact same thing, ginger ale and Phily Cheesesteaks, talk about a good group! Soon enough it was time for the main event, our flight home.

The flight, for some reason, felt very long. It ended up being a collection of short naps, blogging,  reading, and listening to music. The rest of the night went very fast. We got our luggage, I said my farewells, and headed home. At home I had pizza and cake with my parents, then my best friend came over to hang out.

I am really going to miss everything about this trip, not only Cornell, but the people I met, the experience of living individually, and probably most of all the Cornell Cohort. We were such a compatible group, and always seemed to get along. We did not have a single issue or argument. On top of the good group dynamic, Mr. Chan-Law was a great chaperone. He kept everything very organized, and never got stressed out or impatient, which I think made the whole group feel better. I could not ask for a better group to have accompanied me on this journey of growth and discovery.

Lasting Relations

Wow, these three weeks have passed so quickly. Today was the last day of class, and I'm really sad to go back. I've only been here for a couple of weeks, but it seems that I've known a lot of people for more than that time. I personally wish that there were more days, but less hours.

Starting our last Hotel Management class, Reneta showed us our final PowerPoint. It was a review on what the industry was all about. We watched a video about life long relationships, it made me think if I would see anyone from this program. She said that she has worked with someone for almost her entire life, but I don't know if I could keep in touch with people outside of the country.

After our lecture was over, Eric and I checked out. All of the ILCers then arrived to the Statler Hotel, just for the last day of the program. It is very relaxing to be able to have my own room, with my own bathroom, but I thought it was unnecessary. It was nice to have the experience of living in a dorm, even though it was like 90 degrees every night. As soon as I came to my room, I turned the air-conditioning on the lowest possible temperature because I was already sweating from walking to the hotel.

Later, everyone went to our first and last dinner in the past week. We arrived in Za Za at 7:00 PM and I was not used to the amazing look of the restaurant. I was always used to either dining in RPCC or getting delivery. After some seafood appetizers, I ate lamb chops and the soup of the day. To top off an already incredible dinner, we went to Purity Ice Cream to get some desserts. I got a double scoop Mocha flavored. The only problem with my delicious dessert was the size of the ice cream. It was so enormous that I couldn't even finish it. The ice cream cone was as long as my head. After eating our dessets, we headed back to our hotel.

We finished off our last day by hanging out in just one room. It is going to be sad to leave tomorrow, after the graduation.

Preparing for Departure

It's a bit surreal to be honest. A month ago, I didn't know anyone here on the East Coast but as the weeks past, the weeks seemed to pass faster and faster as I began to meet more people and establish what Reneta would call "relationships that last a lifetime".This time tomorrow, I will be 3,000 miles from Ithaca. I have learned so much about the hospitality industry as well as met some really awesome people. As cliche as it sounds, the word bittersweet probably best describes my situation. I'm looking forward to being home and being to finally sleep in my own bed, but at the same time, I'm going to really miss my new friends and Cornell. I love this school and I'm seriously contemplating applying to the School of Hotel Administration. I sincerely appreciate all the support from the sponsors who made this trip possible.

Initially, Frank and I stuck to our group of Alex, Calvin, and Eric, but as class progressed, Frank and I began to meet and hang out with new people. The first people we began to hang out was with Julia, Jiyoon, and  Andrea who will be good friends for a long time. I can speak for both myself and Frank when I say that we truly believe that the trio are all really cool people and we're both grateful that Jiyoon came up and introduced herself. 

Mark and Reneta, thank you for opening my eyes to the world of hospitality. I never knew that the hotel industry could be so interesting. All the aspects that go into running a successful hotel are incredibly complex and I loved every moment of class. Not only am I aware of the hospitality industry now, I am now able to do much more with Word and Excel and I thank you Mark for making me much more tech savvy. 

Today, I got up to get to the Bin (computer labs) early to finish my report. My group grinded it out and handed in  our final report in a half hour early. Frank and I then went to grab lunch with some buddies and then scrambled to cram all our belongings into our suitcases in order to check out of my dorm. As hot and uncomfortable my dorm was, I realized that I am also going to miss my dorm. I worked late into the night and spent minutes laughing with Frank as we tried to complete work. We then checked into our rooms at the Statler and then Frank and I went to the gym to play a pick-up basketball before we cleaned ourselves up for our final cohort dinner.

Now, I'm typing this blog in Frank's room with our cohort, together for one last time on the East Coast.