In grade school, I never really understood fractions, or how to convert mixed numbers [which are the biggest waste of life]. Struggling with the most basic of math problems, I chose instead to focus my time and energy on writing [that seems to have paid off]. Well here’s a fraction problem that 10 times out of 9 I’ll get right: I am 1/4 done with my time at Holy Cross. Take that Mrs. Dulong.

Being the youngest in my family, I have seen multiple people venture off to college. Just like little Ginny Weasley, I was left on the muggle side of Platform 9 3/4 [damn you mixed numbers]. Well eventually my time came, and let me tell you, Holy Cross is and was everything I had ever hoped it would be. It took me a while, but I eventually found my place on Mt. Saint James. Like everything in life, moving away to college is a series of hills and valleys. Trust me, there will be valleys but the key is to keep your head up and always look forward to the next hill.

For anyone reading this who is eagerly anticipating moving in this August at either Mulledy, Hanselman, or Wheeler, I just want to say good luck and don’t hesitate to come say hello [I’ll be RAing in Wheeler 2].

This has been a great year, and I can’t wait for the next 3/4 of my time at Holy Cross!

Peace

-Joey

Wow time flies! I can hardly believe my first year is almost over. Things are pretty crazy around here, as the semester is coming to a close but for the first time in my life, I am not longing for summer time.

Around this time of year, my old high school teachers could be found tossing little pieces of chalk, waving in my direction, or trying any number of things to rip my attention away from the beauty that was just outside my classroom windows. However, Holy Cross is so tremendously beautiful on its own, that for the first time I am not aimlessly starring out a window, glassy eyed with a puddle of drool and all.

A lot has happened since my last post, so I will condense 3 months of densely packed college life into a short bulleted list.

-I applied for a position as a RA and got it! So next year I’ll be posting from Wheeler Hall [another freshman dorm] rather than Mulledy.

-I have gotten a lot more involved with the Ballroom Dance Team here at HC since my last post and am going to be the Publicist on the E-board next year. I have a partner and all; we’re actually competing at M.I.T this Sunday and are going to own the floor.

-I’ve decided to pursue American Sign Language past the required 2 semesters and make it my minor. It’s funny how these things go; a year ago I was dreading taking a language and now I am minoring in one.

There are a lot of other, less important things that have happened to me this semester. I injured my wrist because I insisted that work boots could still be worn in the spring [I was wrong, they cannot be]

I discovered an AWESOME elevator that cuts my mountain hiking time in half. And I made the horrible decision of starting “Game of Thrones” right before finals [DON’T DO IT, I repeat, don’t start “Game of Thrones” unless you want to turn pasty white and never see the sun again]. All in all though, it’s been a great semester. I’ll post soon with pictures of this gorgeous campus.

Peace

-Joey

Yes it is true what you have been hearing, I Joey Spadoni, was seen last Sunday wearing a bow tie. It wasn’t a prom, nor the wedding of my cousin Mikey; I actually attended a ballroom dance competition. I hope that with this stunning photo [I am the one who looks ready to take your order],that I will be able to spark a new phenomenon. Bow ties need to become the next big thing [like Justin Bieber hair or Harlem Shake Videos]. I’m counting on my many readers [so basically just my mom and the HC admissions people] to help me in my quest to introduce the bow tie into the current partying attire of 2013.

The competition was really a good time. My expectations were rather low and therefore I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of fun I ended up having. I bonded with the team and got to see some truly amazing dancers. It was a great way to spend my Sunday.

Without promoting Holy Cross too much here, I do have to say that it is a real testament to the HC community that I can join ballroom dance and not feel the slightest bit embarrassed. Everyone here is so friendly and warm; people get the opportunity to do or try anything they want to, in a judgment free zone. That is not something you come across everyday.

I have a busy week ahead of me [as do all HC students] as Spring Break draws ever closers.

Peace

-Joey

Second Semester is here, and I am back. Unfortunately, I suffered a pretty serious concussion in November and had to go home to recover. After about 72 seconds of that, I was bored and eager to get back to HC. Well two months later, I am finally back.

I couldn’t believe how much support and accommodations the Holy Cross staff offered me during my come back. I was able to finish all of my classes by the end of winter break due to the guidance of my professors, and my class dean [Dean Paco]. Well done HC, well done.

Now that the concussion is behind me, I’m ready to get back out there and experience all that HC has to offer. I’m really loving my classes this semester [Montserrat, ASL, Philosophy, Social Psych], and I’m getting more involved in different club and activities on campus.

I’m stoked to be back! I’ll post soon with all the details of my latest adventures.

Peace

-Joey

Have you ever felt like retreating? Have you ever felt like taking a step back from your life to think about the chooses you have made and the ones you will have to make? Well I have.

During the Fall Gateways [HC’s orientation] my leader couldn’t stop talking about how amazing some retreat at Holy Cross was. She said that it was such a great way to make friends, and the perfect opportunity to relax [spoiler alert: I did, and it was]. When I expressed the smallest bit of interest, she went for the kill and got me to sign up. November 9th-10th, that’s ages away I told myself, and for any soon to be college students out there, September and November are much closer together than they may first appear.

Escape Retreat 2012. I really didn’t know what to expect. When I showed up to the bus carrying my school backpack and a large black trash bag, stuffed with just about anything I thought I might need [I’m terrible at packing], I didn’t recognize a single face.

We all struggle with this one question: am I going to try or not? When I sat down on the bus, I was just about to put my head phones on and not try at all to talk to the strangers around me. But then, a friendly girl named Kat came up to me and asked me if I wanted to play a group game she was organizing. Right in that moment, I had to answer the question: am I going to try of not. I choose to try. I felt a little awkward at first, but over time I realized how nice the people around me were. And thus began the best 24 hours I have experienced with Holy Cross students so far.

The Escape Retreat is designed to give students an opportunity to reflect on their time at Holy Cross so far; a time to contemplate if we are on the right path, or being the people we wanted to be. Without getting to mushy-gushy, I came to a deeper understanding of who I am and who I want to become during my time at HC. During the closing ceremony, we were asked to stand up and tell the group something we would take away from Escape 2012. When I stood up, I said,”I learned that it is never too late to meet new people.” I met some truly amazing people on the retreat and am so glad that I went on it. I highly recommend any prospective students [if you choose Ho Cro] to attend this retreat; it will change your college experience.

from the left: Francesca, Micala, Kat, Joe, Christina, Oriola, Me, Pat

I now understand why my Gateways Orientation Leader spoke so highly of Escape. At the time, I thought she was just asking me to go on some retreat, but now I know she was just asking me something much more important: are you going to try or not?

I know that is a horrible title, but it’s the best I could come up with.

Last Friday night was the Family Weekend Casino Night, and I was a Black Jack dealer. It was a lot of fun; my parents came up and all my friends played at my table. It took me a few games to get the hang of dealing but after a while, I figured it out. Definitely the most embarrassing moment for me was when I told a man at my table that he had busted and was at 22, when he actual had 21. The man looked at me and said, “I hope you’re not a math major.” Good thing I like the humanities.

Bart, Rob, Louie, Michael, Meghan, Chris, Fitz, Me, and John

The next day I spent with my parents and hit up a Chipotle for the first time in a while. That’s one bad thing about Holy Cross: No Chipotle Dining Option.

After all the fun of Parents’ Weekend, I was ready to buckle up and hit the books, but then the news of Sandy spread around campus. The last three days have been very interesting. Most of Monday and all of Tuesday, Holy Cross was shut down. We didn’t have classes, and had to stay in our Residence Halls. It was one of those experiences that created a lot of memories. Like the story of how I went for my assigned nature walk in the woods for Montserrat [in shorts] before I heard how bad the hurricane was going to get. Or the story of the ecstatic upper class men who ran around campus blaring “Rock You Like a Hurricane” [one of them dressed in a banana suit]. The storm was terrible and affected many lives, so please don’t think that we were celebrating the approaching storm; we were just excited the fact that classes had been cancelled.

The last few days were exciting, but I am looking forward to getting back into the swing of things.

-Joey

[Photo of the Post]

This was picture I took on my Nature walk for class. The hurricane was getting bad and I was soaked, but I couldn't stop myself taking pictures.

Yes it’s true, I made a new discovery. I live in Mulledy [the furthest Freshman dorm] and whenever I want to go and do homework, I have to pack up all my books and go to the library. Well now that isn’t the case anymore. I discovered a magical and wonderful place called the Mulledy basement. Previously, I had believed the basement contained three things: the social space, the laundry room, and a few Sophomores, but I was wrong.

[If anyone ever says that Holy Cross is like Hogwarts, they are wrong. Holy Cross is Hogwarts]

That being said, I stumbled across a hallway one night in Mulledy that I hadn’t seen before. Consequently, I found a series of little conference rooms that were quiet, bright, and great for studying.

Just a short walk away from my dorm room.

This is a game changer. These awesome little study spots are such a short walk from my dorm room; I love them!

Parents’ Weekend is right around the corner. I can’t wait for the Casino Night, should be a lot of fun!

I’ll check in soon.

-Joey

PS: I took this shot the other day

and I’m thinking about doing a photo of the week type thing. What do you think? Should I?

[10/12/12]

Fall Break is just about finished, and it’s time for me to start packing up to go back. It’s a totally different fish this time. Now I know what to expect; I know when I’ll have dinner, where I’ll study for my tests, and what dudes I can play Madden with. It’s also not as hard to say goodbye to my family, because I’m eager to get back into the hustle and bustle of college life. I have a lot of challenges ahead of me, but Fall Break accomplished its goal: I feel recharged and ready to go.

Besides my homework and the activities I participate in, I am trying to start a new club on campus. There’s paperwork to fill out and I have to pitch my idea to the Student Government, but all in all, starting a club at HC isn’t that hard. I’ll let you know how the club thing turns out!

I’m also really excited to get back to Holy Cross because I know the campus exploded with autumn colors while we were gone. I’m a photographer, and I can’t wait to snap some epic shots of the HC campus. If anyone reading this post is an instagramer, check out my stuff; my username is welcome2theSPA.

Keep an eye out for some snazzy shots, and some good pics of HC as the seasons change.

All in all, I’d give my break a [B+], but it’s time to get back on the hill.

-Joey

[10/11/12]

I’ve been in the air for about a month and a half now. The captain has turned the seatbelt sign off and I’m able to use my laptop to watch “How I Met Your Mother” reruns. I’m starting to get use to it; the tiny leg room doesn’t bother me so much anymore, and I like the little snacks they hand out. My routine is forming. I think I can do this.

Hey, my name is Joey Spadoni and I am a freshman. I’m not going to write these blog posts with the finest and most formal use of diction and syntax and I’m also not going to txt u wats good at HoCro. I intend to treat this blog as if it were a letter to a friend of mine, where I can tell him/her all about my experience at HC. So here we go…

Holy Cross is awesome! As I said [in my cheesy intro metaphor] I’ve been at HC for about a month and half and things have been going great. I was the only kid going to Holy Cross from my high school and I was a little nervous about meeting people. However, right off the bat [at the first football game] I hung out with some of the guys on my hall, and we’ve been friends ever since.

: Anthony, Rob, Michael, Me, Brian, Bart”]I am really enjoying my classes. I’m in Calculus, Psychology, American Sign Language, and my Montserrat. I’m in the Natural World cluster, in Professor Reents class, “Go West Young Man and Young Woman.” I enjoy it and it’s challenging, but it’s shaping me into a better writer. I think I want to be a Psychology Major, with a minor in Deaf Studies, so I really lucked out with my classes this semester.

Starting college is like boarding a flight to an unknown destination. Before the trip you’re nervous about who you’ll sit next to, what the food will be like, and if there will be enough leg room. Well before your first semester you will have many of the same thoughts: what’s my roommate going to be like, will I get sick of the food, and will my dorm room be big enough. I can answer one of them for you right now… whether you end up at HC or not, you will get sick of the food [but you’ll make it work].

I’m really excited to fill this blog with all sorts of great stories and interesting pictures for you guys. I can tell this is going to be a good  year…

Joey