The Last Few Lazy Hazy Days of Summer

Well here we are, already a couple of days past mid-August! The summer has certainly flown by. As we near the end of the week on these last few hazy days of summer, I just want remind students to start getting ready for the upcoming fall semester.

Soon the hustle and bustle from new and returning graduate students returning for Fall 2007 semester will be upon us. My friend and colleague, Melissa, is also looking forward to the start of the semester. We're both in a holding pattern -- just doing projects, writing in our blogs, working, etc., as we await the excitement of the upcoming semester. Even though we both took a summer course, we are still excited! I can't wait!

Get Your Housing Plans in Order
For on campus students, I recommend you firm up your housing plans if you haven't already. The Media Studies department should have sent you a packet on housing information. If you are still looking, a great resource is craigslist.org for NYC. Hopefully you're not all running around like crazy finding housing though I have heard from many friends who live in NYC that housing can be hard to find and for a lot of money, you get a teeny tiny space. But hey, it's New York City! That's the way it is. There are other benefits--like great places to eat with great food and reasonable prices, a great subway system, art museums, culture ... you get the jist.

Graduate Orientation
Whether you are an on campus or online-only student, or a combination, I highly recommend attending graduate orientation. It is well worth the experience to connect with the M.A. in Media Studies department and to place a face with a name. You'll meet some of the core faculty and other new students.

In 2004, I am certain I was the only online-only student who attended and it's made such a difference the duration of my graduate studies. Plus it was fun to visit NYC -- a place I had never visited but heard much about. I've returned every year in August to connect, to say hi to Tony Laing, and to enjoy the energy of NYC. New Yorkers have a reputation for being rude. I never found this to be the case at all. They are straightforward and upfront, outspoken to a T, gracious even though they may sound cranky at times, but they always smile back when I smile at them and they say "You're welcome" when I am courteous and say "Thank you." As they say, you either love New York or you hate it. As for me, even though I am a California girl, I love NY!


Open Registration on ALVIN is August 30th
Open registration on ALVIN starts August 30th, so it you're looking to add or drop classes you're currently registered for or make any additional changes to your course schedule, that is the day to get online and make the changes. Of course, current students will have priority according to number of units completed, and I am so looking forward to getting in there and adding one class that will apply to my M.A. in Media Management. Of course, the class likely won't be dropped by anyone since Competitive Strategies is a popular class for those students pursuing the Media Management Certificate, but I thought I'd give it a shot and even beg Professor Charles Warner to get in. Ever the optimist, I've got my fingers crossed!

Some Courses I Really Look Forward To
My seniority status will also help me get into Photography and Social Change, with William Crow, a class I couldn't get into in the Spring 2006 semester, even with my seniority. Will teaches it just once a year in the Spring, so I've decided to stay behind one more semester just to take the course...plus I may have to anyway if I'm not able to get into or add Competitive Strategies (it is currently full). Yes, I'm staying behind to take Will's class--the topic is important to me and worth waiting one more semester--even though at the present time as I write this, I need just one class to graduate with the M.A. in Media Studies. Competitive Strategies is the last class beyond the one I'm already registered for in the fall (Media, Corporate Responsibility & The Law) to complete the 12 units needed for the Media Management Certificate, and the course, Photography and Social Change is for ... well ... life enrichment on a personal level!

I am very happy to say that I was very lucky to get into Visual Storytelling in the Fall with Shari Kessler. I'm looking forward to Shari's class, Visual Storytelling, and learning as much as I can from her. Most inspiring is what Shari shares in her biography:

"Shari Kessler (MA. New School University, Media Studies; BS. M.I.T., Photography & Visual Design) is an editorial/documentary photographer and visual media consultant. Her artistic and corporate work in Latin American and Asia has given her a diverse and exotic portfolio, including assignments for the National Geographic Society; the Smithsonian Institution; Citibank; the BBC; Thailand Tatler magazine; US Agency for International Development; the World Bank; Operation Smile, and McGraw-Hill publishers.


Shari's images have been exhibited and published internationally; she was the first American to be invited to exhibit in a solo show in Hanoi, since the Vietnam/American war. Shari studied fine art black-and-white photography with American guru photographer Minor White; spent 15 years in the darkroom; and while now, she loves photoshop and good digital scans, she is happiest with her trusty old Leicas and color transparency film, shooting everything, except wars and weddings!"