After two days of intense travelling and adventure, it's official: Syracuse University Class of 2014!
So visiting Syracuse was definitely an adventure...
Against the advice and input of fellow peers, we took 2, count them 2 (1, 2), planes to Syracuse. We left from Philly then travelled on a semi-small plane seating about 48 people to New York's LaGuardia Airport. And then after a short layover (about 45 minutes - 1 hour) we took an even smaller plan with 36 seats (only about 8 were taken...) and propellers to Syracuse. The ride was pretty smooth, and the weather upon arrival was a beautiful 84 degrees and sunny.
After renting a nice new car, we eventually (after 1 wrong turn) made our way to the Sheraton Hotel on campus, where we would spend the night.
We received free starbucks cups (empty), but I still thought it was cool because it also came with...
yumm =]
Since it was really the first time we've ever spent the night in a hotel not within the state (the Jersey shore...no fist pumping please) we decided to take full advantage of room service. This would later be a very very bad idea. We ordered wayy too much and had stomach aches for the entirety of our stay. But...at least the belgian waffles I had for breakfast were delicious =]
Aside from the hotel, the Syracuse campus was amazing! The architecture was absolutely breathtaking!
The day began with an introduction video and speeches from the Dean of Admissions and the Chancellor of Syracuse University. After inspiring words from these two women, we split up into various groups designated by college and major, my first being Newhouse for Magazine Journalism. We got to talk to and hear all about the Magazine major. Just listening about how the program is taught and what classes we get to take, made me realize that this is where I want to be. If I want to do this, I have to be here in this beautiful and competitive place. From that point on I grew more and more excited for my future.
After hearing from the school and students of Newhouse, we all went for lunch in the Carrier Dome - also very breathtaking and gigantic! Half of the field was covered with tables, and lined with various booths for clubs and organizations on campus. As we waited in line for our salad, pasta and garlic bread lunch, I couldn't help but look around and think this is where I'll be living next year. Chanting with Otto (our very own mascot) and completely painting my face orange and blue stripes. =]
Shortly after lunch, my mom and I went around the field to each of the booths, picking up free pens, post-its, a quishy toy ambulance and a stress ball in the shape of an orange. Along the way, I met my future roommate for the first time in person - her name is Stacie =] And we continued around the booths together.
Then came time for the tours, so we took a campus and residence hall tour together with our parents. All was great. We even had enough time to visit our second college (Arts and Sciences) where I'll be dual majoring in Anthropology. I got the chance to speak with a current senior who majored in Anthropology, and her many varied experiences inside and outside the United States made me want to graduate like now! haha. She travelled to China and her roommates travelled all over the world from Singapore to Italy. Gahh, sounds so perfect!
Before we left the campus, of course we had to go to the bookstore and buy anything and everything Syracuse. So I ended up leaving the campus with a sweatshirt, sweatpants, 2 t-shirts, a key chain and a bumper sticker. I know it's a lot, but I'm only getting started - wait until next year! haha =]
Then it came time for us to leave. With smiles on our faces, my mom and I picked up our rental car and left for the airport. This would only be the beginning of a very rough and unfortunate journey home. Eventhough the first half of the day was amazing, despite the drastic change in weather from the day before (now 40 degrees and windy), the second half of the day after we left was nothing short of a series of unfortunate events.
On the way to the airport we got lost 4 times, and ended up going in a ginormous circle on the Syracuse highway...twice. Then when we finally reached the airport and returned the car we had to go through security. Well, unlike the day before, I put my hair up with about 6 hair clips, which I forgot to take out before going through security. So I'm sure you guessed it...the metal detector went off three times and I was pulled to the side by a female security officer. After being frisked by a handheld metal detector and the officer (oh soo much fun...), I was let go and we went on to the appropriate gate and terminal for our flight. After getting there very early (about 3 and a half hours before the flight time), we grabbed an early dinner and sat for a very long time. When the time for our plane to arrive passed with no plane in sight, we worried we would not make our connecting flight in New York. Thankfully at that moment our plane pulled up next to the gate...but one of the propellers seemed to be moving slower than the other. We later found out that maintenance was called to fix the propeller, which took about 2 hours, and would therefore make us late for our connecting flight. But thanks to U.S. Airways Express we were reimbursed with two tickets straight to Philly leaving at 8:30pm (an additional 4 hours from the time our original plane had arrived). So we waited for our new plane to arrive, and during that time it began to snow! It was just 84 the previous day as I mentioned, and now it was snowing! That's crazy Syracuse weather for you - snowing in April!
Sorry about the horrible picture quality.
So the plane finally arrived and after an additional delay of 15 minutes, which were spent to de-ice the plane, we were finally headed back to Philly. Oh but the unfortunate events aren't over yet. Due to the extreme difference in temperatures in Syracuse and New York, the mixture produced A LOT of turbulence during the flight, causing one passenger to throw up. As I covered my ears and hoped the last 30 minutes of the flight would go by faster, I took the time to just peer out the window and watch the beautiful glimmers of light down below us. One gem in our unfortunate night. We finally arrived and walked to the nearest bus which would take us to the airport parking lot in order to pick up our car. Once in the parking lot, we spent 30 minutes looking for our car, believing for a while that someone had stolen it. But then, we saw the back of our car sticking out in one of the rows. Thank God, we found it.
And at last, we drove home ending our amazing adventure mixed with tons of smiles and freak outs. And that my friends, was my trip to Syracuse University. It was definitely one to remember. Oh, and one in my future: SU Class of 2014 here I come!!
- christina
