X-Mas---Here and now back to Winter Break!

Well, my Christmas was filled with happy moments with friends and family. I wish I could have shared some of these great times with my friend during this joyous holiday season but since we have such a long break, these moments can be only shared between a phones or the internet. But oh well, I am sure once we return to school, my friends and I will all live up as if it was holiday break. (In other words, make up for the lost time together).

My break is going good thus far. I am really getting the hang of not getting up at a schedule hour and just going to sleep whenever I feel like it. It's been lovely! Sometimes I find myself doing some school work but then remind myself that it's break and I really need to relax. I received my grades and I was really happy with them! I passed all my classes! All that hard work really paid off!

I really don't have anything to report from my end since it's just been sleeping and getting ready for Christmas but now that it's over, it's time to get ready for New Years! I usually end up at one of my friend's house but I am not sure what's going down this year. Maybe...a little get together at my house? Hm...Could be possible!


Well, I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas and may the New Year be well for you!

Christmas Break

Hey everyone!

I hope you are all doing well and either enjoying your break or about to start the few relaxing weeks off! I'm loving being home with all of my friends and family, its so great to spend time with all of them again. The beginning of my break wasn't too great ... I had to come home early because I was sick and spent quite a while resting in bed before I began to feel better. But now I am feeling a hundred percent and enjoying sleeping in and home cooked meals!

All of finals went well, mainly presentations and now I am able to take a breath and enjoy the six weeks of doing whatever I wish. I don't have any big plans for the holiday, I already had a family get together since half of family is going on a cruise. Now we just are going to have a smaller Christmas dinner at home with close friends. I was able to spend time with my boyfriend and my best friends cruising around home and spending time at all our favorite spots here at home. Other than that, I'll probably be going to Disneyland once or twice over break as well as some day or weekend trips to Big Bear.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. I hope your all able to relax and enjoy it!

Until Next Time,
Amanda :)

ah! winter break at last

Hi all!

I'm writing this blog from the comfort of my OWN bed at HOME!! yes that's right, Dominican is on break for 6 weeks! And let me tell you it feels so good to be done with school for a bit.

Finals weren't too bad for me....I only had one in class final; the rest were papers or take home exams! The papers were a little stressful since I'm not the biggest fan of writing but I got through them! Most students were done with their finals by mid week and with each passing day, our campus got quieter and there were definitely more parking spots available!! Since I am an RA, I had to stay until Sunday to make sure all of my residents had defrosted their fridges, unplugged everything and left. (Students are not allowed to stay in the dorms over break, unless they are basketball players)

My plans for break include: reading, watching movies, volunteering at a hospital, finishing up med school applications, and writing my thesis....and some dancing here or there :)

Well I hope you all have a happy and safe holiday season! See you next year!!

Monika :)

One Day Left!!!!

Well it seems that this semester has gone by so fast. It was just a few weeks ago that I was stressed about having so many projects and papers to finish but now I have one class to go to and then I'm done. Time flies when your busy. The sad thing about this whole experience is that I really liked some of my classes and I'm a little bummed they're over; still, I'm happy for a new semester.

Six weeks is a very long time to spend away from people you practically live with. Luckily I live near some of my friends at home, so I won't be a total loner all vacation. But vacation will be a nice break from school, I just wish some people would be there with me.

So I don't really know what more to write about, so, I think I'll tell you about my vacation plans (everyone else did.) So my grandparents are going to pick me up, sounds lame I know, but living the retired life and camping a bit on the way down is a very nice start to my break. When I get home, besides doing a mountain of laundry, I really am excited to hang some Christmas lights. Then work will start (hopefully), and that would take some time. Christmas of course is and will be fun. Then right when you finally get into the new rhythm you come back.

I'm done, so with that I wish everyone a Happy Holidays. Be safe, and party it up on vacation.

Ciao.

Brandon

Ready for break!!!

Good day friends!

I am so happy that finals are over! These last two weeks were exhausting. For the last month and a half I've spent almost every weekend in studying and doing homework, I know sounds lame right? Believe me it wasn't my idea of fun either, but luckily it paid off! Finals went smoothly and my presentations were great.

The semester as a whole was busy, but I learned a lot. My internship is over for now, it was a lot of work, but a positive experience for the most part. I think keeping busy is just part of the college routine, most students are used to having a packed schedule so free time is very precious. It will be fun to enjoy this so called free time during break!

I'm excited because I am leaving to Arizona tomorrow morning for two weeks! My best friend lives down there not to mention it will be warm. From Arizona I'm heading back home to Seattle for the holiday weeks. Christmas in Seattle is amazing! It's so pretty, unique like San Francisco but a lot classier. I love shopping uptown and occasionally there are light dustings of snowflakes it's the perfect way to feel the spirit of Christmas. The snow, lights and Starbucks all make it feel like home. I miss it, but most this time of year.

Cheers to painless xmas shopping and good park karma

-Miss Gretchen-

Last Week!

Alright! It's the last week of school and everyone know what's coming up...FINALS! Ah! I am not sure if I am ready for all my classes to end but I wish finals weren't comprehensive! I would do so much better if the tests were focused on what was learned before the last mid term. This whole week I've been studying my butt off trying to get all the information needed into my tiny brain. I feel myself overwhelmed with so much information that I take periodic naps throughout the day!

Well after finals is over...It's off to San Diego again! I am really excited to finally go back home for six weeks because that means...tons of rest! I plan to have fun and really get my body healthy for next semester. I hope my friends have something planned this break. Usually we go to Disneyland or Magic Mountain. We will see what we have in stored this time around.

Oh yeah! I HAVE to mention this. My recycling plan for the dorms was approved today by a committee that I sit on! Only two more steps before this is implemented into the dorms! It's been a month works for me but finally, it's all ready to go! Yay!

Tonight, I am off to see Kathy Griffin with another Ambassador. We are both excited for this because we bought the tickets three months in advance! We are 9 rows from the stage! WEE!!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

-David

It's almost December :)

Hey everyone!

I hope you all had a fun and relaxing Thanksgiving break like I did! Luckily, I was able to finish everything up before break so I didn't have to worry about my three presentations the Monday after break! Just a little stressful.

Everything has been going really well and the month of November just flew by so quickly! I can't believe it! I still have one presentation during our "Finals Week" next week, but for the most part, I get to hang out and relax until I go home. This past week I was able to give all but one of my presentations and hand in all my papers. What a relief!

I'm really excited for Monday night because ASDU is hosting Midnight Madness in our Caleruega Dining Hall. Everyone gets to come and enjoy free food and entertainment to help the stress attached with finals week. Everyone will able to relax and have a good time.

Nothing else has been that new and exciting in my life, I just need to catch up on some reading and sleep to make up for those late nights studying and preparing for presentations. I hope your all doing great with school right now and I hope to see some of you at our next Campus Visit Day on the eighth of December!

Till next time,
Amanda :)

Hi all!

We only have two weeks left of school!!! I think its safe to say that pretty much everyone on campus is anticipating the 6 week break but dreading finals next week. This week is known as hell week because of all the papers and presentations that are due. I have two papers and a presentation this week! (that I still haven't started.....wish me luck!)

Thanksgiving was a nice refreshing break before the chaos of these two weeks. I was actually a little productive (which is unusual; when you go home since you want to spend every moment with friends and family); I finished three more med school apps and did a little homework!

I just cannot get over how quickly the semester has flown by! A few of my residents are moving out at the semester, so they will have to check out with me before they leave. Residents that aren't moving out get to leave all their stuff in the dorm rooms during the break but they have to make sure to move stuff away from the heaters and defrost their fridge. The RAs are responsible for making sure that their residents do this before going home.

Well, that's all for now folks! I have to get back to writing those papers!!

Until the next time,
Monika :)

FAR BEHIND!

Ok....So I am late...real late in posting my bi weekly blog! Everything is getting really hectic here at Dominican. I can't understand how much work I am doing and even the projects I have signed myself up to. Right now, I am trying to work on a recycling program for the dorms and it's just taking a bunch of my time. I didn't understand how much work this would be! Ugh! Classes are getting better though! I am doing well in most of my classes but studying is just becoming a bore to me! I find myself studying for hours in and out for one class..organic chemistry...but I have to admit, it's paying off!

ASDU is starting to plan events for the next semester. We finally decided where our annual penguin ball is going to be at...Since we did not have a boat dance in the fall, we will be having our penguin ball on the same boat. I thin it will be a great time for all our students, especially those who have not been to this great event.

Oh! I finally finished my first publication revision yesterday! Yay! Finally! I am going to have a publication a very prestigious journal...BIOS (I think that's how you spell it) It was a lot of work and time put into this revision. But, since this is a publication, it will take more than one revision so I am getting ready for that and most importantly, relaxing!

I am going home today so I am getting excited to see all my friends and family back in San Diego! Wee! I am taking my friend Rachael with me and this will be her first time in San Diego! I should make it clear she is from MASS. so this is her first time in so cal! Yay! We will be traveling to Disneyland and also to the hot spots in SD. I am really excited!


Have a great thanksgiving!

It's Five O'Clock Somewhere.`

So today is the last day of classes before Thanksgiving Break, for some yesterday was (including me) because we have to fly home. Yeah, while I'm excited to be going home it's not going to be much of a vacation, I have to write two huge papers, I fly into LAX (for all of you LA people you understand), and I have to do lots of laundry, but I do get a good meal.



Well I'm going to keep this post short, hope everyone has a good and safe Holiday. Eat lots, and relax.



P.S. Don't forget to watch the parade in the morning, and the Cowboys in the afternoon.



Buone Feste.

Brandon.

Getting ready for the Holiday Season :)

Hey everybody!

I don't have anything new and exciting going on right now, except for the many projects that are bringing first semester to a close. I cannot believe how fast these few months have flown by! The semester has been so great, I have loved getting closer to my friends and becoming a part of the Dominican family.

Everyone hear is buzzing about Thanksgiving, my friends and I even having little countdowns to when we get to see our family's again. Like Monika said, the feast next Monday sounds delicious! I can't wait! I'm also excited for the basketball game on Friday - Basketball season has always been a favorite of mine and Dominican games are just so much fun!

I just finalized my schedule for next semester and can't wait for all of my new classes to start in January. Not only do I get to observe a kindergarten classroom for my Liberal Studies class, I get to take a few English and Science classes. I'm thrilled!

That's basically it - work and school are both going well, once my projects are done I will be able to relax till the end of January!

I hope you all are having a great school year and wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

Until next time,
Amanda :)

Turkey time here I come!

Hi all!

It feels like just yesterday that I was posting my blog about the end of October and here we are in the middle of November! Things are really picking up the pace around here....the other day I wrote down a quick list of projects, papers and finals due for the next few weeks and it looks like I will have my work cut out for me! But there are also a lot of fun things happening on campus too! The unparalleled Caleruega Thanksgiving feast is next Monday!! You may be asking yourself: "Really? A FEAST at university cafeteria?" but ask any Dominican student and you will understand how much everyone looks forward to our early campus celebration. Even professors stay for dinner that evening! Mmmm....makes my mouth water just thinking about it! :)

Anyway, today was a really productive day for me! I paid my registration fees for class next semester and for GRADUATION! ahh! That was pretty intense! But I'm still really excited! And speaking of the future, I have submit 2 more secondary applications today for a total of 4 so far! only 32 more to go!! And then the anticipation of interviewing!! :)

Other than that, campus life has been pretty fun! Basketball season is just starting up, pretty much THE events to go to on Friday and Saturday nights. We were in the Dominican classic this past weekend; both men and women lost. :( But the guys team were thisclose to winning. Not too shabby for a pretty new team, we have a lot of transfers this year but I'm still crossing my fingers for many victories this season!

Dorm life is pretty good too! By now, most of the freshmen students are pretty comfortable with their roomies and probably learned the hard way that waiting for three weeks before cleaning your bathroom = not a good idea! :D

I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!
Monika :D

Happy November!

Hey all! I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful month we've been having. I think fall is the perfect season here at Dominican, there are colorful leaves everywhere and it's just beginning to get cold! What a blessing! Well classes are coming to a close and the increased levels of work is adding up fast!
November is very busy at school for many students, we have papers and projects due almost every week. I just started interning at Jewish Family and Children Services it's an organization that provides social necessities for the elderly and support groups for children and their parents, there are also many psychologist in the building that provide low cost therapy to clients. It's a great organization located in Marin, it's very neat to get to work with the surrounding community here at Dominican.
I don't know about you guys and gals, but I love Thanksgiving, for many of our students it's the first time we have been home since summer time. I haven't been home since August so I am really excited to see my family and sleep in my own bed back home! I'm also excited to eat, eat, eat and then take a really long nap! I'm from Seattle so it will be really cold I'm not excited for that! Oh but I am excited that it could snow! It snowed last year when I went home for Thanksgiving! I will be keeping my fingers crossed!
Take care everyone and enjoy the great month of NOVEMBER!
-Miss G

“When chill November's surly blast make fields and forest bare.” - R. Burns

Well this post is probably going to be pretty short. Not much has been happening in my life these past few days. Halloween was pretty fun, but we celebrated this past Saturday after a Geology field trip so I was exhausted. I guess when I say nothing has been happening I really mean that homework has seem to have been priority one these past weeks. Whether it was writing essays, or doing research it hasn't left much room for very happening social life.
I'm not going to say that I haven't been watching my fair share of television, or going to the movies but the semester is winding down and it is apparent.
I am going to recommend two movies for those who enjoy good movies. The first is The Darjeeling Limited, and the second is Lust, Caution. Both were excellent.
Now that I'm done ranting about the past weeks, I am going to say that it's exciting to go home in a few weeks. And in other exciting news, my cousin Diego is turning one, and we're having his party this Saturday. And my mom is coming this weekend, all so very exciting.
Well hope life is good for everyone out there.
Ciao.
Brandon.

Ending October

Hey everyone!

These past few weeks have just flown by! I have had a lot of fun with my friends, from weekends in San Francisco and shopping in Corte Madera and attending the different campus activities. This past friday was the Halloween Dance - everyone got dressed up and had a great time. Yesterday, Dominican held a Haunted House in the old Meadowlands: all of the students and local neighbors came out and took part in the event. Those who were brave enough dared to take the tour throughout the house were able to be terrified. Halloween's coming up in just a few days and I can't wait to dress up and get ready with all my friends!

Last Wednesday, the first year liberal studies major's went on a field trip to Saint Raphael Preschool. We were able to see the school and tour the area where we will be observing spring semester. I am so lucky to be a part of the Dominican Liberal Studies program - not only is the program unique, it gives each student the opportunity to interact with the children so early in their college career. I cannot wait till next semester!

Luckily, I won't have too wait long! This semester is passing so quickly - I can't believe its already the end of October! I already have so many memories with the great friends I have made here. I am so happy I chose Dominican, its been such a great fit for me and I have enjoyed every minute of it. I hope you all are enjoying your senior year as much as I am enjoying my freshman year!

Good luck with everything!
Have a safe and fun Halloween!

Until next time,
Amanda :)

What? October?

WOW! October is already coming to a close! This school year is just flying by! Since my last post, I've been taking it pretty easy. I'm in between midterms, not too much homework; just in my usual routine of class, work, and the occasional night out on the town. :D But I can definitely feel the pressure of my next set of exams and papers coming!!

As for med school apps, I am in the process of my second rounds of applications! It's pretty intense! When you apply to medical school, you first have to fill out a common application for all the schools you are interested in, then you go through another round of applications specific to each school; after that, you may be asked to interview and then you are notified whether you have been accepted! Phew! Stresses me out just thinking of it all!! So right now is the time where I have to sell myself to these schools just by my responses to the short answer questions. I'm also at the point of asking professors for letters of recommendation. Luckily, at DU I've had the opportunity to really get to know all of my professors, so they will be able to attest to my academics and persona.

Other than that, I've planned my schedule for my last semester at Dominican, which was pretty cool. I only need 6 more units to graduate so I'm pretty much filling up the rest with fun classes! I'll be taking digital photography, neuroscience, epidemiology, foundations of fitness, a math class, and spanish music and dance. :D (remember I'm a math/science person, so all those classes are fun to me! :D

I'm excited for tomorrow because I'll be hosting a Grey's Anatomy social for my residents in the dorms!! I along with a lot of the DU population love that show! :D

Until next time, Have a great safe Halloween!!
Monika :D

Crisp fall at Dominican

I would say things at Dominican have been pretty busy these past two weeks! Mid terms are coming to a close but that means that we are headed towards the end of fall semester. The weeks are going by really fast.
I have a lot coming up, for starters I am studying for the LSAT which I will be taking in December. I am also planning on taking the GRE's so I can apply to PhD programs upon graduation.
I am also becoming an activist! It's pretty empowering, I recently participated in the MAWS march (Marin Abuse Women's Services). I got to help lead the rally chants and speak using the megaphone, it was so much fun and I think one of the most important things I have ever done up until this point in my college career. I am really happy to be a part of the Dominican Grrls group we marched together and rallied in hopes that one day domestic violence is something that will not be apart of any one's life. San Rafael has many opportunities to promote community activism and service.
I am currently in my senior year here at Dominican and am applying for a position to work with the future mayor of Fairfax as a job shadow. I think the position would be very beneficial for me because I would like to be an activist in the field of women's politics.
I hope that everyone realizes how much power they hold within their voice and takes active steps for the things that they value the most.

Until next time take care and enjoy the remainder of October.

-Miss Gretchen-

Well midterms are finally over, and I did pretty damn good on all of them if I don't say so myself. By far my two favorite classes, although the most stressful, are my Colloquium classes Medieval European History, and Medieval Art History. I know it sounds pretty boring but the teachers are great, and they really make this stuff exciting. Today, for example, we watched Kingdom of Heaven for both classes and we got bagels and cream cheese. How sweet is that?
But enough of school business, the highlight of the past week was definitely the spoken word concert we had this past Wednesday. Solomon Sparrows Electric Whale Revival a group of award winning slam poets came her to campus to perform their show, all because a student worked to arrange it. It was one of the most hilarious and thrilling shows I've ever seen. The poets were amazing and the crowd was getting into it, which in my opinion is key to a good concert.
So this weekend, besides the Campus Visit Day, I have a Geology field trip I'm not looking forward to but oh well. Hope everyone else has a great Halloween and a good next couple of weeks.
Until then...
Ciao.


P.S. If you wanna hear some of the poets go to: http://www.myspace.com/whalerevival

Wow! Half way there!

Alright...So midterms were the most crazy aspect of this year! I could not believe how many hours I spent studying for Organic Chemistry and Advance Microbiology. Organic Chemistry is seriously one of the hardest classes I have ever taken! There are so many formulas and structures to memorize! Sometimes I feel my brain wanting to explode! I have to admit, it's so much fun studying with friends though. The day before our midterm, a friend and I went to our friend's house at midnight and stayed up until 4 in the morning studying! It was fun and educational at the same time!!! A lot of laughs and

A.S.D.U is doing pretty good this mid way point. We are having so many events going on this October! We had our first annual battle of the classes and not to my surprise, the freshmen won! Seniors were second. Sophomores were third and my class, Juniors, came in last. What a shame!

This October, we are preparing this year's annual Haunted House in our own Meadowlands Dormitory. I am really excited to see how this haunt will be constructed. Last year, I was the director of it and it feels really good to pass on the torch and see someone else take charge of this project.

On Tuesday, I had my first meeting with the President of the University and the University Provost. We discussed issues on tuition, safety, and the student union. President Emily and I really made our points clear and will hopefully see Dominican's President and Provost implement all the suggestion we brought forth to them.

Well, I think that's about it for me! Life could not be any better!

Have a wonderful week!

DR

An End to Midterms

Hey everyone!

Since I last blogged things have gotten quite crazy. Midterms are now over and we all can once again kick back and take a much needed break.

Last week I celebrated my 18th birthday - with a great surprise party and a fun weekend with my family. It was a nice break in between cramming for midterms and all the events at Dominican. ADSU sure has been keeping everyone on campus busy, from the Battle of the Classes events, Chilly's trivia each Wednesday and all of our dances.

I was lucky to attend a big event for the Liberal Studies program - Jonathan Kozol speaking in Angelico Hall. He spoke about his new book "Letters To A Young Teacher" and how big of an influence we have on each of the students we have the privilege of teaching. I love how Dominican always manages to get a hold of such powerful and intriguing speakers to enlighten us on a variety of topics.

Yesterday was Dominican's fall break day and I managed to schedule a trip home this weekend. I am so happy to be able to spend some time with all my friends and loved ones but miss everything back at Dominican. I cannot wait to get back to school and spend more time with my roommates and all of my friends.

The Ambassador program has been going quite well. We have our next campus visit day on Saturday the 20th, and I can't wait to meet all of the prospective students. Hope to see you there!

Until next time,
Amanda :)

8 weeks down, 7 more to go!

This semester is flying!!! I feel like it was just yesterday that I was moving my stuff back to campus and telling myself that I would not procrastinate this year! :D In the whirlwind of the last few weeks, I finished my first set of exams, sent off my medical school application, and celebrated my 21st birthday!! This year is definitely going well!

On campus lately there have been activities galore. I'm always impressed by ASDU and the events they host throughout the semester, especially since it is run by the students. When midterms come around and most people are freaking out, there are still fun stress-relieving activities available for students such as the intermural sports and movie nights. It's funny but you can tell when midterms come around because you see a lot more people in the library at any given time and many more late night visits by the Domino's deliverymen. :D

A new event that I'm really intrigued by is the "DU Male Auction." Kapamilya, the Asian/Pacific Islanders club is hosting an event where guys from DU will be auctioned off in exchange for a favor. That's next week, so I'll keep you posted!

On Monday, we had a senior graduation orientation meeting. I still cannot get over the fact that in a few months I will be a Dominican alum! The meeting basically went over our senior audits (which outline what classes you have taken and what requirements they have met) and some basic graduation information. This year, graduation is going to be on May 17.

Tomorrow is our official opening of the science center. I'm going to be speaking, so I'm a little nervous, but looking forward to it!

Until the next time, have a good one!

Its October!!

Hey there!!!
It's October already, it's all very excited the semester is moving right along. This Friday is fall break day and that means no school! This is good because I need an excuse to get out of town and spend some time with a good friend of mine. Most students take this time to do some extra studying and get back on track with their homework. Luckily the majority of my midterms have passed and I am in the clear!
This Tuesday The Dominican Grrrls is hosting a feminist discussion, we are expecting a great turn out and hope to involve as much of our student body and community as possible! We are also planning on marching for Marin Abused Women's services (MAWS) the event is October 21st a Sunday, the purpose it to demonstrate that domestic violence and other types are still an issue in today's world and even in our own backyards. The rally will begin at Dominican and we will continue to march down fourth street. Some of our group members are planning on wearing prom dresses with combat boots. Femininity and women's rights are not possible with out a fight. WALK ON LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! For more information please check out www.maws.org all are welcome!
When I'm not working in the community I am projecting my energy towards my senior thesis and planning for next year after I graduate. My thesis is primarily an observation using magazines as primary resources that asks the question does the dating advice in contemporary magazines enforce gender roles?
Take care!!
-Miss GRETCHEN

First Post!

So this is my first post...kinda exciting.
I guess I should introduce myself. Brandon's the name. I'm a Communications major, Pre-Law Minor. You can read my profile to find out more.
Well its been awhile since school started so I've settled in and my classes are all going very well. Just got through some midterms and have a big test in Politics and the Media on Monday.
Well one of the things that I've been doing lately is going to Chilly's Quiz Night, one of the intramural events here at school. It's pretty exciting. You pay two dollars and, with the help of your team, answer some pretty tough trivia questions. Winner takes the pot. My team has won twice. Paul Raccanello, the Assistant Dean of Student Life is not too bad at music trivia of the early nineties.
New catalog came out for Spring classes. It's always a good feeling to think about the new semester. I'm hoping to take some pretty good classes.
Well besides those few things life has been pretty standard. Fun things on the weekends (and Wednesday's Quiz Night) and school work during the week. I have to keep reminding myself that I am going to school and get my work done. Back to reading my Medieval European History.

Ciao.

Meetings, Classses, and then sum

There's been a lot going on in the world of David. I can honeslty say I have never felt so busy in my life! With meetings after meetings and homework after homework, it's just wow! Since my last post, I think there's been a lot going on that's making my time here at Dominican go by quick. We've had so many great events on campus such as movie night in Angelico, karaoke nights in the student union and small little socials that invovled free food! I think one of the highlights is going to the ballet with some Dominican students who are part of the LINES ballet program. I personally have never attened a ballet before and at first I was a little skeptical about going because I never thought I would be interested in something like this but...As the night went on and the show began, I was amazed with the body formation and the flexability some of these dancers performed! Being the science lover I am, I was mesmorized by the physiology of these dancers and while they were performing, I was reciting in my head which mucles where being used and thinking about the different types of tissues that were invovled in each movement...Yes, I know this sounds very nerdy but hey, I'm trying to be a doctor :-)
The Green club---one of the clubs that I am president of---is making progress in creating a recycling program on DU campus...Unfortuntaley, we have nothing in terms of recycling and recently, we have received backing from the university provost in stepping forth with this program. All green members are very excited to see what will become of this...It makes me smile to see students making the initiative to strive for a greater good for Dominican's enviornment.

This is week is battle of the classes week at Dominican. We are having different activities each day to see who will win the title of best class. Some of the events include twister, sumo wrestling, dodgeball, and a relay race. The winning class will be presented at this week dance with a decor of its class color. Today was the first event and seniors prevailed over the other classes...Let's see how these next events turn out...I will especially be including the results in my next post.

Classes are going well for me. I finally got my calculus exam back today and I was really excited about my grade...I never thought I would get an A on a calculus exam..Yes it was take home but I did work very hard in understanding the material. But overall, I think I need to study a little harder for certain classes and just take time in reading the material in books...Oh reading sometimes makes me sleepy!

Well, I think that's all I have for now. More meetings this week for me to attend! Have a wonderful day!

-David

A new school and new year.

Hey Everyone!

Let me start of with introducing myself: My name is Amanda, I am a freshman this year at Dominican, majoring in the rigorous Liberal Studies program. I am also happy to be a part of the Ambassadors program here, which keeps me both busy and involved in all things Dominican.

This past month and half have been such a blast! From all of the fun socials being thrown by the RA to movies on the Library Lawn. Time just keeps flying: I cannot believe its going to be October any day now! Move-in day is still such a vivid memory, from the fun orientation activities, to unpacking and saying goodbye to my parents. At first, it was a little difficult living away from home but like all my friends, roommates and hallmates, I got over my homesickness. I owe a lot of my comfort and reassurance here to the friendly staff, faculty and student body: instantly, I was welcomed into the Dominican family and I've been enjoying every bit of it.

Classes are going smoothly, the first few days being so easygoing! Not half as intimidating as I thought it would be. I love being a part of the Liberal Studies program. It is one of the best in the state, even having the freshman begin observing a Kindergarten classroom their second semester! I cannot wait to get out in the field and start getting involved in my passion: teaching! Even the homework load is reasonable, nothing too crazy or intense unless you may tend to be a procrastinator!

We had our first CVD (Campus Visit Day) last weekend and loved seeing all the prospective students! I hope you all had a great time, we appreciate you coming and checking the school out for yourselves.

That's it for now, have a great week everybody!
Amanda :)

The beginning of the end!

Hi all!

My name is Monika :D and I am super excited to be sharing my take on the year with you! A little bit about me: I am a biology major with minors in chemistry and math. This is my senior year and let me tell you, it is surreal. I have been having such a mix of emotions: nervous, excited, a bit sad to be leaving the comfort of my four years at Dominican, and anticipating the future. Speaking of the future, I am actually in the process of applying to medical schools for these past couple of months. So, I'm pretty much in the same boat you all are in right now! Starting the journey of discovering whether or not a school is right for you and all that fun stuff!

But back to DU, campus has been very lively these past five weeks. We admit our largest freshman class to date (over 300 students) and it is so nice to see people walking around campus, hanging out on the library lawn, and going to the sporting events. This year I have decided to support our teams as much as possible. So far, I've been to a few men's soccer games and women's volleyball games. Both our teams are really good! The guys won 1 of the 2 games I saw and the volleyball girls dominated both of the games I saw! Go penguins! :D

Dorm life is going pretty well too. I am an Resident Advisor (RA) in Edgehill (the upper classmen dorms) this year. We house over 600 students ranging from freshmen thru seniors. RAs are basically resources for the students whether it be to help students adjust to life away from home, lend a ear, and host socials as a break from homework :D

Well that's all for now. Until the next time, have a great week! :D

Early Fall

Hey all! Well Fall has officially started and school is in full swing. The last month has been very busy. I've been getting used to my new classes and getting comfortable with being a senior. I have been reading and studying a lot as far as homework goes. I have also been having a lot of fun going to San Francisco. I go out dancing, shopping, eating and recently to a couple of concerts. Things have been really good!
I'm excited that classes are settling in. The beginning of the school year brings so much new opportunity to meet people and get involved with school and the surrounding community. Currently I am working on a service learning project (that is part of one of my classes)with Social Services of Marin that is trying to figure out what people really need in their communities in Marin.
Recently Dominican had a club sign up day, the club I am involved in is called Dominican Grrrls, it's a modern feminist group that is for women and men. The purpose is to address current issues in society as defining what a feminist is. This is a positive thing for our campus because the majority of the student population at Dominican are female.

First Blog of the new academic year

Hi Readers! I have the privelage to be the first blogger of the new Dominican year! Since this is my first blog, I think it would be best for me to introduce myself. First of, my name is David and I am a Junior and Dominican. My major is pre-med molecular cell biology with a double minor in chemistry and mathematics. I also have the honors of representing the student body as this year's Student Body Vice President. I am also affiliated with the environmental club, gay straight alliance, and the newly formed Latino Cultural Club.

As student body vice president, it is my duty to represent the students in top administrative meetings and most important govern all student government meetings. The job is tedious but I love doing what I do best and that is connected with people. It is important to have the voice of the students be heard and I believe I am the right person of the job!

Well, enough of all the boring details. Dominican has been very lively during this first month of school. Student government has been introducing tons of activities for students to participate in. Every week we have movie night on the lawns and the turn outs have been phenomenal! Some movies we've watched include Freedom Writers, Distubria, Happy Feet, Hills have Eyes 2, and this week's film will be Premonition! It's good to see Dominican students conjugated together to watch the feature film. I enjoy sitting with various students and seeing their reactions and or laughs to certain lines in movies. It's just a good way to connect and build community here on our campus!

It's that time of year again where students prepare to sail the S.F. bay and dance the night away under the stars. Yup, it's that annual time of year for Boat Dance! This Saturday Dominican will pack up most of its students and travel to the S.F. to have a great time on the Horn Blower boat! I just found out this traditional dance has been going on for 20 years now! THAT'S A LONG TIME and to see it popular as ever is amazing! I know students will enjoy this spectacular event!

Well, I think that's about it for me to report thus far. I have plenty of meetings to attend the next couple of days so I will for sure update you on what's more to come on campus!

Oh yeah...Wish me luck on my Adv. Microbiology and Histology exams!

Peace and Happy Monday!

-David

Our new look

You might have noticed our new look. It's not finished yet, so please be patient while we work on it!

Dominican's student blog will be going through a redesign before we re-launch sometime in late August or early September with new bloggers.

We say goodbye to Jeremy, Chilly, Gretchen, Victoria, and Phillip and wish them the best in all of their endeavors.

Jeremy has been offered a job at KPMG upon graduation from Dominican and has decided to focus on his last year here and keep those grades up for this great opportunity. Congratulations!

Phillip has graduated from Dominican, but has decided to stick around one final year for his teaching credential. Soon, he'll be a high school history teacher.

Gretchen will be back next year to Dominican, in her senior year here as a women and gender studies major. Wish her luck on her thesis!

Victoria will be back for her sophomore year at Dominican as an occupational therapy student. She'll be hard at work representing our sophomore class in the Associated Students of Dominican University organization.

Last, but not least, Chilly will be back for his senior year here at Dominican. If you ever get a chance to come to one of our athletic events, be sure to waive to him!

In a few weeks, we'll fully roll out our new look and our new bloggers with introductions and profiles. Look for us then!

almost here!

Hi everyone! School is almost ready to start and there is so much to do! I just moved into my new place off of campus and it is very exciting! There is so much to organize and prepare for before school starts! It will be good to see familiar faces and teachers that I haven't seen since May! I'm not ready for the stress of papers and homework, but I am very excited and ready for senior year to start! I hope everyone has enjoyed their summer and is excited to start the new school year! I can't wait for boat dance and other fun fall things we get to do at DU!

-Miss Gretchen-

School is back in session.......

.....almost! So we are about 3 weeks away from beginning our fall semester. I'm am excited because I am looking forward to meeting all the "fresh meat"! (I mean Freshman!) =) Ill be back on campus in less than two weeks to prepare for Freshman Orientation. I remember my orientation last year and I can already tell that this year will be better!

What have I been up to? I am glad to say that I aced my Life Span Developmental Psychology class this summer. I've been babysitting almost everyday, which is fun because I get to spend time with my 5 year old sister. She gets on my nerves at times, but someone has to deal with her! I've gone to Mexico a few times and visited some family. I've been working hard promoting for a travel company I work for and earning free trips along the way. I have also had plenty of time to party and create some crazy memories for the summer. I'll just leave it at that!

Although I am excited to get back to school, Ill miss my friends and family in Los Angeles.

P.S for all you incoming students who are not from the San Rafael area....enjoy this summer to the fullest because winter will get COLD! Bring those big and warm jackets!!!

Ill keep you updated if anything exciting gets thrown my way!

~Victoria Rivera
Student Ambassador
Sophomore Class Rep

A New Season

Tomorrow I am turning in my last paper for my undergraduate degree! Thats it I am done! But not really, just because I am a little crazy I am starting graduate school on Monday! Its a 3 week program where I'm taking 7 units so I can work more during the regular semester. Summer has been fun. I saw my family on the 4th of July at my grandmother's 80th birthday party celebration. The All-Star Game came and went from San Francisco in which I got to go to the Fan Fest. But basically I can not wait to see most of my friends here at Dominican again next month. Along with a new semester I am ready for a new football season too! I hope the 49ers get some play-off experience this year. if not we will go all the way in 2008. Either way I will be going to the games and cheering them on! I hope for all of you that read this, it has helped throughout the year. If you want to get in on it, just apply to be a Student Ambassador, applications should be out, so apply as soon as you can!

Take Care, and Have Fun in college!

-Phillip

A New Beginning

Hey all,

It's unfortunate that I wont be posting any more blogs, however I've begun my internship and I'll hopefully be gaining experience in accounting during the next year. My internship is going great so far. I've had a lot of fun and made a lot of new friends from schools close to and far from DUC. The internship is a great opportunity to get a look inside the workings of a large accounting firm and the multi-million dollar clients they serve.
Another perk is that as an intern I'm "wined and dined." There are a lot of flashing lights and a bunch of excitement in this stage. I'm keeping in mind, though, that it is a job. If things work out and I get a full-time offer I know I will be working my hiney off (sometimes up to 70+ hour weeks).
When any of you start looking for jobs or internships you have to consider what's most important to you. A job with the firm I'm interning at could be good for a single person because of the travel and the long work hours or someone with a family because of the exceptional benefits, and paid-time-off. Additionally there are a lot of fun activities for members of the firm including: happy-hours, sporting events, volunteer activities, etc. I'm also trying to keep in mind that I am being interviewed all summer in consideration for a full time job, yet I'm also "testing the waters" to see if this firm is a place I would like to work full time. In any case I'm trying to make the most of it, and I'm having a blast so far.
I wish you all luck in your endeavors and I hope you make DUC your home, as I have for four years. It's truely a great place to learn and grow and you wont find people of higher quality or class anywhere to share your experiences with. Thank you all.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Boucher

Summer in Seattle…

This post is posted on behalf of Miss Gretchen who is having log-in problems with her computer! - AdmissionsCounselor

Well as most of you already know it rains a lot up here! And the summer is no exception; at least this year anyway, it has been raining lots.

I have been so busy since school got out back in May! I came home for about a week to unpack all the goodies I accumulated over the school year and then I went to Arizona for two weeks. It was so hot, but a lot of fun! When I returned from my mini vacation it was time to start my summer job, I work as a senior assistant in the IT department at my former college. It's so much fun because I'm on the hiring committee and it's a great way to gain work experience and build my resume.

I am also in the third week on my LSAT prep class; I plan on taking the LSAT in September. The class has been very helpful so far and I'm really excited to see what this next school year will bring! As for the remainder of the summer I plan on relaxing, researching for my senior thesis and having a good time with friends!

Summer in Los Angeles!

It's been about 5 weeks since I left campus....I miss it more than ever! I like the fact that I still get to see some of my DU friends who live in SoCal. Hanging out and going to the beaches is always fun. But, what can be more fun than going to the Cali beaches? Well, how about going to the beaches in Europe!. I just got back fom Amsterdam and Paris. As we get older, we are able to network with people that we meet in college. College and all the people Ive met have opened the doors to various opportunities-including traveling! Amsterdam was amazing and I will definitley be going back in the near future. Paris was beautiful as always. There were four DU students who met up with a larger group of college students from all over the nation. We made friends from Dallas, Atlanta, Boston, Raleigh, and Miami. Some of us already have planned the reunion trip to Thailand next summer. Being able to meet people is a great thing. Many of you will be meeting hundreds of people for the first time once you move onto campus. I recommend that you get to know alot of them!

Lets see, what else is new in my life? I work as a campus manager for EF College Break tours. We promote international travel for travelers between the ages of 18-35 (ask for info!) Ive been busy advertising for my tour company this summer. Ive had the chance to see family that I have not seen all year. Ive gone to a few theme parks since Ive been home. I just started summer school at a local community college yesterday. I like it alot, but it doesnt compare to Dominican. I miss our school's beautiful campus =)

I look forward to what DU has in store for us next semester!

I hope that you are all enjoying your summer. To those who have just graduated- CONGRATS!!!! Can'y wait to see you all in the fall!

Victoria Rivera
Student Ambassador
Sophomore Class Rep

Is it really summer?

Hello all! I realized with my friend today that we have been out of school for a month now. During those 4 weeks I have been working in the admissions office for 40 hours a week. During the semester if you have a job on campus you can only work 20 hours a week but not in the summer. I am also looking for another job to continue through the fall semester when I start graduate school for my teaching credential. I have had interviews at Target, Bev Mo, and Sports Authority so far. I was hoping to work at Men's Warehouse because I could use a sweet discount to get cloths for when I start my professional career (its always good to think ahead). But for now I am taking 7 units of school, which leaves only the weekends to have down time which is very different than high school or the normal college semester. I am taking my girlfriend to the play Beach Blanket Babylon in SF this weekend. I also have done a little hiking, and am planning a trip to an Indian Casino with my 21+ friends, and the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz, for some fun activities this summer. I am attending a huge 80th birthday party for my grandmother on the 4th of July, which will be nice because my parents and sister are flying out from Texas. So this summer turns out to be busy with class, work, and fun all in one. I hope everyone is enjoying their summer and I will check back in with you next month.

talk to you then, Phillip

Graduation and Summer

Graduation was a lot of fun. It was also sad because most of my friends whom I've known for the past three years graduated and moved away from Marin. The good thing is there is facebook and the telephone, so they aren't gone forever. Still I'll miss being able to give them a call and hang out because they are a minute walk away. Next year I'll be in their place, and I will be walking across the stage earning my diploma. Though it seems close I know I still have a lot of work ahead of me. In fact, this summer I will try to get a head start on my senior project by completing some (hopefully most) of the research I need. When the spring semester rolls around and I am getting ready to begin writing my business plan, I should have all of the research completed. Yet, before I start thinking about more school work I'm going to sit back and enjoy summer (really I'll be working and trying to save money). This is my first summer I've spent in Marin, and so far I'm liking it :)

Summer Vacation

Hey everyone, this has been a great school year with lots of great events, classes, and people, and I’m happy that you guys were able to experience it with me.

Just because it’s the summer doesn’t mean I have nothing to do. This summer I’m still on-campus as a Resident Advisor (RA). I will be helping with the international students that will be living in the dorms. I meet some great international students last summer from France and had lots of fun. Besides being an RA, I am working for the Information Technology department and working on writing my Senior Thesis.

Like I told you guys, I am done with my undergraduate study in the Fall so I have four months to start, write, and finish my Senior Thesis. Working with my professor now to come up with a topic and get writing. My goal is get half, if not all of my Senior Thesis written by the start of school. I got three months; I can do it.

Other than that, I get to enjoy summer with friends and look forward to senior year.

To all of you attending Dominican in the Fall, ill see you during Orientation and for everyone else, best of luck in college!!!!

Stay Coo and Lets Go Penguins

Chilly

FRESHMAN YEAR- THATS A RAP!

I cannot believe that I am completing my first year as a freshman at DU. Time flies. Ive been really stressed out with finals and I am ready for the 3 month summer break. Second semester was a little tougher than the first, but not to an extent where I couldn't handle it. I had a 16 unit course load, but I was still able to manage being a Student Ambassador and a member of ASDU. So, as you can imagine, I was a busy girl!

I found myself crying two days ago at Midnight Madness-Ive been such an emo lately! I cried because I knew I would no longer see alot of the seniors that will be graduating this year. Many of them are ambassadors and many of them are my peers within ASDU. I have always been a part of student government for as long as I can remember, but I have never worked with a group of people I can actually say I have grown to love and will miss dearly. There arent any class distinction, so I was able to become close to alot of people-some more than others. I cried because I will miss seeing them at work, or in meetings, or in the dining hall. I am only a freshman here, but I was able to form bonds in just a year here at DU. These people really do become family and I will always cherish the happy moments we had.

So, what is Midnight Madness? Im glad you ask! Midnight Madness is a time where we can take a break from studying for our finals. We get to have breakfast at 10pm(way better than IHOP or Denny's) at Caleruega, we get to socialize with our student body, and we get to enjoy a great show! This time around we were able to watch a 2 hour long hypnotist show! I was one of the craziest thins I had ever seen. About 15-25 students were hypnotize and asked to do things that they would never do in public. I always thought these kind of showes were fake, but indeed they are not. I thought it was hilarious when the hypnotist had people smack themseleves in the butt screaming "Whos your daddy!" or have guys actually believe that he was Jessica Alba. You had to see it to believe it!. For those of you who will be joining us next fall, you will=)

This summer I will be traveling. I depart for Amsterdam and Paris in less than 3 weeks. Ill be back just in time to take a summer course at Pasadena City College back home in Los Angeles. I was elected as Sophomore Class Rep for ASDU 07-08 school year, so I get to come back early and help out with Freshman Orientation. Im looking forward to that! I remember my first day as an actual student on campus-it can be a bit intimidating, but nevertheless, it will be so much fun!

This week will still be stressful because I have a few assignments I need to complete. Im done with freshman year for the most part. Moving out of the dorms next week will feel so surreal. All the late night study sessions, movie nights, parties(yes even getting caught by RA's), adventures in Pennafort will now only be a memory. I teared up a bit when I heard my suitemate playing her guitar the other night. I realized that I will no longer we waken up by the strumming of her music. These are the memories that will last a long time.

Im excited to go home for the summer and spend some time with family and friends. The people I have met here have become my family and my friends as well because I lived with the. You do not live with your friends back home so therefore a differnet friendship is born. Dominican became my home away from home, but now I can actually say this is my home. Im leaving home and Ill miss it like crazy. Once I get to Los Angeles, I know Ill want to come back to San Rafael. Youll soon know enough what I mean!

Have a wonderful summer and wish me luck on my finals=)
Ill tell you all about my adventures when I get back from Europe
Adieu for now!!!

~Victoria Rivera~
Student Ambassador c/o 2010
Freshman Class Representative
major: Occupational Therapy

The “Final” week!

After eight months including NCUR, Penguin Ball, Midnight Madness, Boat Dance, ASDU elections, spring break, and midterms, this school year is almost over. Tuesday, May 1 was the end of the academic school year. It’s amazing to realize that after eight months, its all over; another year has come and gone. Today, Thursday, may 3rd is the start of Finals week.

As I sit here and write this, I think of the one Final I just finished for my Social Psychology class; a 50 question exam. Sounds like a lot but that is much easier than 10 – 25 free response questions. All I have is two more Finals and then I can declare myself free of academics for another year! Tomorrow and next Tuesday are the days of my remaining Finals.

This has been a great year to be part of student government. We put on some great events and really out did ourselves. We did a lot of things that have never been done at Dominican before. Next year, many of the members on student government are returning from this year’s group so that same drive and desire will be there.

The greatest thing about this time of year in college are the celebration dinners that every department and organization want to have as a method of thanking their staff for a job well done. I have attended one thus far and have been invited to four others. This is when all those extracurricular activities pay off.

With respect to athletics, all of our sports have wrapped-up. Tuesday, May 1 was the date for the Athletic Banquet Dinner. All Dominican teams; Men & Women’s Basketball, Golf, and Soccer, Men’s Lacrosse, and Women’s Tennis, Softball, Volleyball, and Cheerleaders, joined in the Gym and enjoyed receiving and watching their fellow athletes receive awards from their coaches. The event is always very classy and this was no different.

Well, that’s all from this Penguin. Got to get back to studying for Finals!!!

Stay Coo and Lets Go Penguin,

Chilly

The Beginning and the End

Hey All,
Soon I will begin my internship for the summer. I recently booked my hotel and airfare for the week long training session. I've also been receiving emails with instructions on what to do my first day, the items I should be receiving, and what I should expect. It's all very exciting. Soon, school will be out for the summer and this in itself is exciting too. This semester has been different than any I've ever experience, and I've received the same feedback from my friends and classmates. It seems like everybody has been more busy this semester than ever before. Professors have assigned more homework and group projects than in the past, and with work and any extra curricular activities people are involved in, it can be stressful. I suppose it's good stress though. All in all, this hard work makes the idea of summer so much sweeter. Three more weeks!

Not a Tree Lover

The final push of the semester is here. I have four term papers, a thesis and finals to study for. At least I have experience in writing all these papers because this is my last semester here. The end of the semester however means the beginning of summer!! For me like other college kids this means dreaming of the years you spent outside in the pool, but when reality sets in summer just means working and making the most money you can. I also found an apartment to stay in which should be fun! I will move in on May 1st. Overall I would say they do not call it a race to the finish for no reason. I will be busy with so many papers that I will probably break my printer while using tons of paper. I am not nervous about finals either. Also on the social scene there is Penguin Ball this weekend and a new Block Party which should be a lot of fun too! I have a feeling the next few weeks will be more work than play though. But the end of the semester is here and its all fun and games.

Take it easy,

-Phillip Y.

Presentation After Presentation

I've given so many presentations in the past two semesters that I think I have the process down. Next week the National Conference of Undergraduate Research is coming to Dominican, and I'll be presenting there too. I think a good aspect of conducting research and presenting the research at various conferences, or attending seminars, is the networking. I've made a lot of friends from many other colleges across the nation because of these events. Also, I've made professional contacts with potential employers and future colleagues. The conferences and presentations are fun. With all of the events I participate in on campus, I am discovering that I need to narrow my priorities, again. Between now and next semester this is what I will be contemplating: what do I absolutely HAVE to do, and then what do I really WANT to do. I think it's apart of the college experience. Hopefully everything works out :-)

Jeremy

The Countdown is on

The month of April is one of those mile markers, it lets all of Dominican students know that we have one month left to work on projects and papers before Finals exams in May. The semester is almost over and then three months of summer vacation.

Usually, this time of year is either really stressful or smooth-sailing. For me it’s a little of both. I’ve got one group project that I know of and a couple papers. Other than that – I’m home free. After talking with my advisor and the registar (they are in charge of classes, scheduling and just about anything concerning academic life), I will be done with undergrad in the Fall. That is some of the best news I’ve heard in a long time. I have been talking with the advisor for the Graduate Business program here at Dominican because I plan on getting my MBA (Masters in Business Administration).

On the Athletic front, Men’s Lacrosse is still experience their see-saw season. Either they win big or loss big, not much in-between for our boys. Women’s Softball has their first home game yesterday and broke even, 1 win and 1 loss. Last I heard, they are almost at .500 and most fans think they will make it. That is a major improvement compared to their records from past seasons. I haven’t heard from Golf or Tennis lately.

Within student life, students are gearing up for NCUR which comes to Dominican next week and Penguin Ball, which is the following week. This is a busy month and we are looking forward to it.

That’s it from this Penguin. Class in a couple minutes.

Like always, Stay Coo and Lets Go Penguins!

Chilly

No Fooling Around

So we only have something like 23 days of school left. That is not a long time. We have a couple of three day weekends coming up, but it seems like having long weekends makes you want to relax instead of getting some work done. The next couple of weeks are going to be crazy with lots of papers to write, finals, and finishing my thesis. In the mean time I have made it through April Fools Day. I have heard stories of sea animals, insects, and pant pranks in the dorms, all that I have somehow avoided. I am happy that we had such a great Admitted Student Open house. I want to thank everyone that came out. For now I have to try to finish up my thesis. I am going to try to write two term papers next weekend before Easter Sunday. Its all about goals and time management in college. That’s my advise of the week. And as you can see we are all so busy during the next four weeks most of us do not have any time to fool around.

Hope Your End of the Year is going well,

-Phillip Y.

Spring Fling!

Hey everyone! I hope you all are adjusting to spring just fine, the sun has been wonderful these past few days. Dominican has been hosting a series of events lately, concerts and also admitted student open houses that welcome our incoming freshmen! We are having one this Saturday.

School has been very busy! I am a women's and gender studies major and I would say I read about 500 pages a week! It's very overwhelming, but at least the material is interesting! Aside from reading I am involved in three different service learning projects. One project is an active political project that concerns gender. Project #2 is an extensive process of interviews that display alternative lifestyles of individuals through a specific organization. The other project is the beginning of my senior thesis. I am one busy girl with minimal time to spare!

You may be wondering how one escapes this kind of work and I have one rule....The harder I work the more I get to relax and hang out with friends. The main thing that gets me through each day is high hopes for a lengthy summer and that one day all of my hard work will pay off!

Best wishes to all and enjoy your spring!

Miss Gretchen

Back to Reality......

Im excited to be back at Dominican after a week of Spring Break, but I wish that our mini-vacation could have been just a few days longer=/ I just got back from Greece on Sunday, March 11th. I feel fortunate to be given the opportunity to travel around the world. I went to Greece with 34 other faculty members, Pathway students, and both graduate and undergraduate students. I didnt know anyone until we actually got to our first hotel in Tolon, Greece. I couldn't believe that all these people went to my school and I had never seen them before. It was such a great feeling being able to make new friends. Our group bonded well, and I think everyone liked everybody for the most part. I cannot pin-point just one good memory from my trip because I LOVED every part of it. During the day we went on tours of the towns and different cities. I went to museums in Delphi, Olympia, and Athens. The nightlife in Santorini was amazing! I even rode a donkey up a mountain near the Agean Sea! The girls and I stayed up and partied with people that we met in Greece. I celebrated my 19th birthday four days in a row. Yes, it was the best birthday ever. I dont know how my 20th birthday can compare! On our last day in Greece, also my birthday, we visted The Parthenon, the Acropolis, and the Museum of Athens. After a few hours of sight-seeing, the girls and I had lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. We went to watch a Zorbo Greek Dancing show and even participated in all the fun. I was sad on our last night in Athens because I knew that we would be leaving in the morning. Although I couldnt bring back the gorgeous Greek boys in my suitcase, I was able to bring back new friendships that were in front of me all along.

Back to reality......
My first week back to school was exhausting!!! The 10 hour time difference took a toll on my body for a few days. The work load is now piling up, but Im sure that Ill be able to manage=)
I look forward to the weekends because that means I get to relax and have some some after a long week of hard work. Im actually really looking forward to this Friday because ASDU hired 3 bands (The City Drive, Fletch, and Over It) to perform at our school for a benefit concert. All the money that our school raises will be sent to Darfur, Sudan. Its going to be a great show. For those of you who are around the San Rafael area-I recommend that you come and check out the show. You wont be disappointed=)

Victoria Rivera
Freshman Class Representative
major: Occupational Therapy

Chicago Here I Come!

Hey All,

I am leaving for Chicago on Thursday. I'm attending the 2007 Idealist Campus Conference to present research. I think, in my three years at Dominican, one aspect of DUC and college in general that I enjoy is being able to travel and see the world. Where you go when you are in school is up to you, but there are always opportunities for travel with school-sponsored functions, or just with friends. Road trips are popular as well. I'm working hard this semester to do well in my classes, and I'm just waiting for the summertime, when I begin my internship. Senior year and Chicago here I come!

Jeremy

March Madness

So we just got back from Spring Break. After being in Hawaii I noticed two main things from being back. One is that it is hard to get things done after being on a beach all day. And two everything seem so slow after spending hours at the beach. But slowly I am getting back in the Swing of things. I have to read more material before I start editing my Senior Thesis. I got the Summer School schedule today. I have to take 7 units before I can get my degree. I think since I have 7 units to fill I will try to take a Social Cultures, Psychology, and Business class. I also learned yesterday that I got into the graduate program at Dominican for my Teaching Credential yesterday which is good news. I have to take a test on Saturday to qualify for a Social Studies credential. Everything is going on and March seems to be super busy, but just like everything else at Dominican, or any college, you find ways to motivate yourself and get your work done! I filled out 10 brackets for the College basketball Tournament. Most of them I have Georgetown, or Florida winning it all.

We will just have to wait and see as the Madness has Begun,

Hope your semester is going well, Phillip

A Year in the Making

It's been a whole year since my best Dominican friends and I decided we would spend spring break 07 in Hawaii. It has become a reality, and right now 6 of us are 2 steps from the beach on Kaua'i, the Garden Island. In the past couple of days a lot has happened. We all arrived Saturday, but before that I had a second interview last Thursday and Friday. After just three days, on Monday morning, I got the all-important congrats call. I got my internship and I'm stoked! Combine that with being in Hawaii for a week and I think this is the best time of my life! Now I just have to enjoy the rest of the break, finish out this semester strong, and get ready to work hard this summer. Things are progressing and it gets more exciting everyday.

;-)

Jeremy

Spring Break

Wow, I can’t believe it’s already Spring Break. Sadly, I’m still here on-campus, I have RA duty and also work. Not much happening on campus now, but in a few weeks, we are having those two concerts I was telling you guys about; the Hip-Hop concert and the “Rock Four Relief” concert. Those are going to be huge events and will draw students from many other universities, not just Dominican.

I had midterm last week. I felt like I could have done better but hey, I’m just happy that midterms are over.

Our Basketball Lady Penguin’s went to the finals of the California Pacific Conference championship but sadly lost. The women played hard and we are very proud of them! The Penguin Lacrosse team is still having a sea-saw season. They either blow out teams or get blown-out. The team is definitely better than last year’s team. Women’s Softball is down in Southern California until mid-week and then lacrosse head down south.

That’s all for now because this Penguin has got to start on homework and duty soon.

Stay Coo and Lets Go Penguins

Chilly

Aloha Friday

Aloha (Hello) everyone! I am now done with the first part of the semester. It feels really good to get a couple of midterms out of the way. I did well on the two that I took. I think that it was easier for me because I have had a few of these teachers before. Therefore I kind of know how their classes and midterms are formed. Once again its one benefit from a small school. I also got the first page of my senior thesis back. My advisor says it lacks flow. So I made a new outline and am trying to break it into chapters to connect all my research. I will try to have my second draft of 25 pages done by the end of march. But for now I'm going to Kauai in Hawaii for Spring Break with 5 of my friends. Its going to be amazing but I hope I don't get burned.

Aloha (Good Bye)

-Phillip

Two months and counting...

Hey guys and girls!
Well it's safe to say that we only have about two months of school left, it's pretty exciting! Spring semester starts in the middle of winter at DU, there have been many wet days here lately. I hope the real spring arrives soon. For me spring break starts tomorrow and I am off to Greece for eleven days, it's a trip that the Dominican honors program offers their students, but all students are welcome to attend , did I mention you can take it as a class and earn units for it? It's a pretty sweet deal! Some students are staying on campus and choosing to make up homework and catch up on some much needed sleep.
The next two months will be very busy! My classes are picking up in the amount of homework and projects, but it should be fun and challenging for the most part. DU has also started hosting admitted student open houses these event are a good opportunity for the incoming class to get to know each other and what to expect in the fall!
Take care everyone and have a fabulous spring break!
---Miss Gretchen---

22

During this second month of the new year things get a little busy. As you probably got the impression spring semester goes by faster than fast. That means you need to get things done in February. I finished about 22 pages of my thesis already this month (that's my first out of three drafts). The point its to get it done now so I can have a 2nd draft done by after spring break and close to a finish product after Easter. I also turned 22 a few days ago on the 21st. We celebrated yesterday at a school event called Rock and Bowl. It was all you can bowl, eat, and had a local DJ there. We are also going out line-dancing tomorrow. I like having my birthday in the middle of the week because it gets drawn out over the whole weekend. Spring break is coming up and I'm going to Hawaii with my 5 best friends. But before that I have two midterms :( the last one I will finish about 22 hours before I'm off to the islands though. So as long as I stay focused, I'll be on the beach in Hawaii sooner than I think!

-Big Phil

Why is this time so busy????

Hey all, I know it’s been a while since I last connected with you but like Jeremy, this has been a crazy-busy time for me. Where to start is the question?

On the athletic front, our Men’s Basketball team recently fell to California State University, East Bay and was knocked out of the Cal Pac tournament. The Women’s Basketball team is ranked third in Cal Pac and will face 7th seed CSU Maritime in the Cal Pac tournament tonight. Good luck ladies!!! Men’s Lacrosse had an emotional weekend. They played University of the Pacific last Saturday and played amazingly well, final score was 21-0 Dominican. Monday they faced-off against Santa Clara University and sadly lost 13-1. This weekend Lacrosse is in action against Southern Oregon University at home. The Men’s and Women’s Golf teams first tournament of the season was postponed due to weather and they just finished up another tournament today. Haven’t received word yet on how they did. This past weekend, Women’s Softball took 1st place at the Patten Tournament. Like Lacrosse, the Softball team is also in action this weekend against CSU East Bay. Last but not least, the Women’s Tennis team has been off to a rough start this season; dropping two games and being rained out once.

Within student life, Penguin Ball has been the buzz on campus. For the last couple of years, Penguin Ball has been hosted at the Embassy Suites Hotel in San Rafael. This year, student government (ASDU) has decided to “step their game-up” and move the event into “the City.” Penguin Ball this year will be at the magnificent Regency Center in beautiful San Francisco April 20. The event will definitely be one to please and ASDU is making sure that they make the most of the new venue.

Other then Penguin Ball, ASDU has two concerts planed for March. The Rock Four Relief that will feature rock band, TheCityDrive and other bands and a hip-hop concert featuring Raz B, known from B2K fame. Both events are expected to draw huge crowds and ignite the students’ demand for concerts on-campus.

On a personal note this has been a busy time for me. Besides classes, I have been working on my FASFA. You guys already know about that painful, long piece of financial paperwork; I hate it but you got to do it to get that free money from the state and so your school knows how much financial aid to award you. Beside the FASFA, I have to take care of my taxes too. Taking care of both of those on your own can be a hassle and really take up lots of time.

Well, that’s all for now. Got to get ready to go to Rock ‘N’ Bowl. The event was such a big hit last semester that we are doing it again and lucky enough tonight is the night.

To those of you that have been admitted, congrats!!!! Hopefully you’re coming to the Admitted Student Open House this weekend! I’ll see you there!

Stay Cool and Lets Go Penguins

Chilly

This Semester is Crrraaaaazzzzzyyyyy Good :D

Hey all,

I have been so busy this semester; it's crazy! I have been working diligently to get all of my class work done but I have so many other things going on as well. Because the Tax-Aid research I participated in (which will help Tax-Aid generate more than $3 million in tax returns for low income Bay Area families) became so popular for the University I have been working hard with my three colleagues to finish applications for travel grants and applications for national campus conferences. In addition to that, our team will be presenting at NCUR here on DUC's campus. Golf is kicking in to gear, and I actually played a tournament this week. It got really windy and it ended up being a long day on the course. Not only have I been busy with school, research presentations, Student Ambassadors, Resident Assistant, and golf, but I'm also busy applying for critical summer internships. I'm really excited because I had a first round interview this week and I have been contacted for a second round next week. As you can see, this semester is cccccrrrrraaaaaazzzzzzzyyyy; and it's crazy good as well.

Keep on keeping on!

Jeremy

Its FEBRUARY!

I cannot believe that we are now in February! I said this once before, but whoa time flies by so fast! I have alot to look forward to from now until the time its time to pack up and move back to Los Angeles. Several of my friends have and are turning 19, 20, and 21 within the next couple of months. Celebrating birthdays here at Dominican are quite memorable! We just had a Valentine's Day Dance last night and it was so much fun. Im glad I spent some time with some friends I hadn't hung out with in a long time. We have an Admitted Student Open House coming up on the 24th. If you havent had the chance to see campus or meet the wonderful ambassadors, I suggest that you do! The countdown is on...only 17 days until Spring Break in Greece! Im trying to live day by day but its kind of hard with so much excitement going on around here. As for my courses and work, both are going well. I dont feel too overwhelmed with my classes just yet. The only time I feel stressed out is when all of my exams are bunched up together because I find myself unable to study for all classes equally. The weather has shifted here in San Rafael-its been really rainy lately. It takes time to getting used to being from a place where cold means 50 degrees, but I love the change and I love this school

Victoria Rivera
class of 2010

February Fun

Hey Guys and Girls!
I hope everyone is doing well! Things are good at DU, spring semester is in full bloom and our teachers seem to think so as well! I have a lot more homework this semester at least it seems as if it started earlier. Read, read, read that's pretty much what I have been up to!
February is a great month for several reasons; first DU is having a dance this upcoming weekend which should be a lot of fun, then we have Valentines Day this a good day even if you're single, I think it's a day to celebrate being single if you are! My favorite part of this month is Presidents Day weekend, I am going home it's a good break between the first full month of school and the first exams for most of my classes. February also only has 28 days! I love short months and besides the sooner February is over the sooner I get to go to Greece for spring break!

Clubs, sports, and NCUR

I know it has been a while since this Penguin has let his icy words. We are now a month into the Spring semester. Classes are going fine. Night classes are different. They usually meet once to twice a week but seem longer than most classes.

Clubs on-campus are getting ready to hold so great events. The Kapamiliya club will be holding a Valentines Day Dollar Dance. The Student Alumni Association will be holding Rock N Bowl Feb 22. ASDU is hosting Senior Night for the Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams Thurs. Feb 15. Dominican University of California President Joseph Fink is making a huge donation to the Senior Night activities: The use of his car for a weekend to the Dominican student that can sink a half-court shoot during the Women’s Basketball game.

Besides clubs and activities, Lacrosse, Softball, Tennis, and Golf season will begin very soon. Today, Lacrosse had a scrimmage against the Marin Lacrosse Club I believe. Though the boys lost the game, they played hard and because it was a scrimmage, it will not affect their season stats. For scrimmages, Dominican coaches usually face hard competition for their teams.

Dominican is getting ready to host NCUR (the National Conference on Undergraduate Research). There are over 60 institutions participating and there are over 60 Dominican students presenting research at this prestigious conference.

Well, this Penguin has got to get back to enjoying his weekend. Enjoy the Superbowl tomorrow!

Stay Cool and Lets Go Penguins,
Chilly

Sorry For Having Been MIA!=(

Well, spring semester of my freshman year in college officially began on January 16th. Winter break was wonderful! In fact, I can safely say that it was the best one ever. I spent my first two weeks catching up and hanging out with my great group of friends from Los Angeles. Christmas with the familia was fun. I got to see all my little cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Two days after Christmas I flew to Madrid and spent some time traveling with some awesome friends. Although I got a little bit sick(it was freezing!), I had such a fantastic time in Spain. Upon my return home, I only got to spend four more days with my family and friends before I was off to Dominican once again. I am glad to report that I love my spring semester schedule. I have classes Monday through Friday, but I dont feel like my days are too hectic or tedious. Its just right! My classes are smaller now because I am actually taking Occupational Therapy courses with a selective group of students in the OT and Nursing majors. We recently had a CVD(Campus Visit Day) that attracted almost 200 students plus their families! If you came to CVD, thanks for making it the best one so far=) Ok, so its Friday night....im off to find some sort of trouble to get into..jk..or am I? Have a wonderful weekend and feel free to contact the Student Ambassadors if you have any questions with regards to campus life. Thank you and Take Care=)

~Victoria Rivera
class of 2010
Student Ambassador
Freshman Class Rep

January Sun

Welcome to spring semester! I am really excited to start class, not so much for the homework part! So far I am enjoying being back at school, my classes are extra small this semester. I'm already getting excited for spring break, but I'm aloud to cause I'm going to Greece and our break is the first week of March so it's not far at all, considering January is almost over. I will have more updates on that at a later time. My homework load is fairly high for one of my classes, but the others are fair. It's good to be back at school and be with friends. I missed California so much! I'm from Seattle and it snowed three different times when I was home. It was really cold the warmest it got was about twenty degrees most days! My break was good, but more then anything I'm ready to complete another semester so I am one more step closer to graduating! Take care all!
--Miss Gretchen--