Wellness Center Health Services

I am a senior who made it through all four years of college without ever going to the health center. My roommate freshman year did break her arm and went to the health center. They made her take a taxi to the hospital which cost her 50 dollars because it is a distance away. No one at the health center is authorized to give students a ride to the hospital. In the work cited there is the website that is the home page for the Wellness Center. The Wellness Center is on Park Street and on the website it states that appointments are highly recommended. The hours for the health center is 8:30 to 4:30 monday through friday and give a number for 24 hour emergency calls. This number is 877- 924- 7758 and is toll free.

Work Cited:

http://www.alfred.edu/students/student_services/health_center.cfm

Winter Fun

Where West University and Church Street sits a fraternity. Last year I lived across form this fraternity and watched them construct a skating rink. At first I as not sure what they where doing but one night they brought some spot lights out and started ice skating and playing hockey. About two days after the completion of the skating rink the temperatures warmed up and that was the end of the ice rink.

Fosters

On a hot summer day, all I want to do is go swimming. The summer in Alfred was perhaps my happiest time here. No one to answer to, no responsibilities that were outrageous and the feeling of complete Independence was unbelievable. I could do whatever I wanted whenever I wanted without feeling a hint of guilt for not working or making money. Foster Lake provided an idyllic little escape where I could swim, tan (mostly freckle), and bask in the warmth of summer. Less than a seven minute drive from town Fosters is the most accessible swimming hole around. Down a road that looks like a private driveway is the lake. The caretaker/ owner lives in a little house on the driveway. It is complete with a dock, boats and a path around the lake to take a walk. With a slight breeze always blowing and the hot dock underneath me the sky reminded me of how grateful I was to be there.

fire field

The hike leaves you short of breath and with the thought that you will never climb that hill again. The anticipation during the hike is part of the great experience of the evening. on top of the hill, past the observatory and up a steep climb is a huge open field. Coming through the field with flashlights you are aware that the people already at the bonfire are wondering if you are friends or enemies( police). The vastness of the dark field provides you with a feeling of unease but as soon as you are closer to the fire the comfort and familiarity of the atmosphere overcome es you. The peacefull neess of sitting at a campfire, surrounded by friends is an experience that everyone should have. The crisp starry sky, the clanking of bottles, the warmth of the fire- all lead to utter contentment.

Kinfolk

Alfred is not a town where many stores are known to be open. The one place in town that is always reliable is Kinfolk- the petite grocery providing local and organic food. Going there always provides a much needed break and quick walk! Whether it be brownies, bean curd or bacon, Kinfolk will provide you with almost any cooking necessity. This little store provides a wonderful array of spices and seasonings(my favorite part of the shop) in a self help section that you can measure out and put in little bags for yourself. Kinfolk is a special little store that is not commonly seen in neighborhoods. It provides the community with a haven of healthy delicious food, provided through the commitment of the owners -Jessin and Elliot.

When a student who was visiting for the summer ask a local where they could get toothpaste one Saturday they sent her to Kinfolk. This is her account of the store "They sent me to an apothecary with dirt floors run by a little dwarf."
- This is true Kinfolk provides a magical escape with a taste of love.

Night Walk: Harder to Pine Hill

As an arts student I spend the majority of my time in Harder Hall. I have lived on campus for the past three years of my experience at Alfred, and for two of them my Sophomore and Junior year I have lived in the same suite in the Davis building of lower Pine Hill. Most nights my day is finished somewhere between 9-2 AM when I leave the studio, make a detour through Binns, check my mailbox in the campus mail room and then walk the high road from Powell Campus center back to the Pine Hill Suites. I am going to complete and post an audio "tour" if you will, cataloging my evening journey.
I talk to prospective students and parents often as part of my Resident Assistant position. More often than not either parents or students or both have the question about feeling secure on campus or some doubts about the idea of walking home by oneself at night. However, for those of us living on Alfred's campus we know that it is simply a safe place to be, no more explanation needed. It is a top notch art school where after spending all night and part of the next morning working on can be home in 10 minuets walk or less (depending on the weather) without any worry of harrasment, transportation problems or running into any unsavory characters. The experience of the evening walk home for students at our arts school counterparts in New York City are quite the contrast to the peacefulness of Alfred.

I will post the audio content on this page as soon as I have it. (Most likely Saturday morning)

Fire on Main Street

The morning of the fire (it was a Thursday), I was woken up by loud trucks going up and down the Ford Street hill very early. I thought it was just the garbage truck, but at one point I opened my eyes and saw flashing lights on the opposite wall. I heard the siren go off, then it went off again. I checked Facebook, and gasped loudly, waking up my roommate. With barefeet, we ran to the chilly balcony and saw the pillar of smoke. I took pictures, then ran to the top of the Women's Leadership Center and took more pictures. My roommate and I stood there for a good ten minutes, just watching and listening.

Later that day I went down to look at the damage. I remember the large yellow pool of water that one of the firemen was sitting above, his booted feet dangling a few inches above the edge of the plastic yellow wall. He was laughing and smiling. He had a beard.

Deer Stairwell

It's weird being in Harder Hall now (I'm a BAFA kid).  This is the year I really got to know my way around (which is good because I'm unfazed by the construction now).  

The mural stairwell that runs from the 5th floor to the Ceramic area, though, is one that I remember when I took art tours when visiting Alfred.  I was always struck by this staircase.  Even to this day, I can't really put into words how I feel about it.  Something between happiness, curiosity, and contentedness.  Sublime... I think that's the word I'm looking for.  

And only today I passed by it between floors 1 and 2, and they're painting over part of it.

Chorus Room in Miller

An acquaintance once visited the Chorus room in Miller and this is how she described the landscape:

"Sunny and green, I look out the window and there's so much more sky then there is ground.  The line trees separates the fields and it looks like the paintings of the landscape that you see.  Then you start thinking about the English countryside and shepherds and people running around through the grass.  And Beethoven's Pastoral symphony is playing in the background, of course."

Observatory

I've only officially been to the Stull Observatory once, and it was great.  But my favorite part of that experience had nothing to do with the telescopes there.  While waiting in line, I looked up at the clear night sky, lost my balance a little bit, and tripped into the shadow of the building.  I looked up again and the numbers of stars had increased tenfold.  While everyone else enjoyed tiny, singular Jupiter for 5 seconds through the telescope, I laid in the grass in the shadow of a building and enjoyed the Milky Way.

The Alfred Siren

My first year at Alfred, I made a video about the history of the town.  I wanted to include the siren because it was still a new idea to me: to have a town-wide fire alarm.  I tried to record the sound of the siren, but it didn't work, so I resorted to finding a siren sound file online.  I remember thinking, "This is perfect!"

I watched the video a few weeks ago, and when the siren started blaring, I only just now realized how thoroughly horrible it is.  Not only is it the wrong pitch, but it lasted for too long.  I guess I really am a resident now.