Have you been wondering what’s up with our Galway Grads?

Alex Malanoski is at Syracuse University studying broadcast and digital journalism.  He is doing outstanding work, and his credits show that he is a sophomore. He may decide to do political science as a dual major. Alex has both classes online and in person. He said that online classes give you lots of work. At the beginning of the semester, he had 3 quizzes, read 300 pages, and wrote lots of essays. He has had an enormous workload. On the plus side, he has made new friends and he has a roommate from Arkansas. He was tested on arrival, and 18,000 people had had lots of tests and contact tracing. He got traced, but luckily, he was at low risk. Syracuse University has a covid dashboard, showing you all the up to date information. One thing that interests Alex, is that they do waste water testing for covid. They also do 30 second mouth swabs and have you go through certain doors. It reminds him of a walking drive thru. He misses Iron Roost, teachers, family, personal relationships, friends, private bath/shower, and sports. There has been a lot of disconnection and being dependent on yourself. Alex is scared of the toaster because he got his bagel stuck in it. He also found a tooth in the sink at college. The dining hall is the worst because sometimes the food is really good and other times it is ‘what is that’. There is a Starbucks across the street, and he has been having a lot of iced coffee. Now, he has to wean himself off.

Walter Ellsworth is currently studying electrical engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Walter has been trying to meet and talk to other people. Luckily, the hall that he lives in, everyone is close with each other and he has a good group of people to hang out with. He spends time alone and it can be good and bad. He started to like it a little more though. Online classes are challenging because the material is a lot more difficult, and it has been a lot more teaching yourself. Communication has been hard too. Unfortunately, Water tested positive for the coronavirus and had to be tested through a nose swab. He was in a hotel for 10 days and he was brought 2 meals per day. He had Covid symptoms and didn’t feel good. He became winded out just by walking through the dining hall. Fortunately, Walter is okay and is having a strong recovery. His school has had 1000+ cases and has had a massive spike. There were about 100 cases per day, and people have been quarantined 3 weeks into the semester. He misses the nature, deer, family, friends, and fresh air. His dog has been sleeping in his room ever since he left.  It has definitely been a different experience.  Here is some advice that he left for eagle nation ‘Enjoy the way you can reflect on yourself, learn a lot from your past mistakes, grow from college, it makes you a more rounded person, and hang out with people who fit you.’

Ruth Reichard is going to college at Suny Potsdam. She is studying biochemistry and Spanish. Ruth’s first semester was nothing like she expected. It was a 50/50 challenge for everyone. She has been staying in a dorm, with her really good  roommate from Saratoga. In the dining hall, she keeps eating wraps and quesadillas that are gluten free. There aren’t too many gluten free options for her. She gets Covid tested every other week, and if you don’t show up, then you get sent home. She misses people, family, friends, and teachers. She has been with the same people since kindergarten. Ruth has joined the Rugby team and it has been a fun way to get to meet new people. She is also on a research team, studying phartan and iron, and its effects on human disease. She has a really good professor from Penn State and Harvard. 

Kaylee Bagdan is studying Biology at Skidmore. She hopes to get a degree in plant science and botany.  It has been challenging for her because it is a huge change in her life. She is extremely grateful to be there. High school tries to prepare you for leaving, but, when you get to college, you are on your own. It has been a great experience. She lives with 2 roommates, who are in suites that are connected to each other. There are lots of buildings at her school, and she misses corn fields, sunsets, nature, family, friends, and her cat, Jolly rancher. Her school put in the plans of wearing a mask everywhere, except eating and in your dorm, no more than 6 people in the dining hall, 10+ people gathering can be reprimanded or suspended, and different levels of covid protocols. 46 students were reprimanded because of Halloween infraction at parties. On the plus note, Kaylee loves chicken finger and mac and cheese Fridays! She also made a best friend, Jackson, on the ‘nun floor’. (Substance free floor.) She would like everyone to know that  you will find your people in college. 

Rachel Wnuk is studying chemical engineering. She is at RPI in Troy. The first 2 weeks of school were the hardest, because they were in strict lock down. It got better after quarantine. She made new friends, and now has a best friend from Saudi Arabia, named Layan. Layan is also her roommate. She has big work loads that are manageable, and spends long nights studying. She has 2 virtual classes, 1 hybrid, and 2 in-person classes. Her school’s protocols are the same as Kaylee’s, and they have testing twice a week. This year, only the freshmen are living on campus. She misses nature and being able to drive around and look at things, walking down the halls and seeing everyone’s faces. Rachel and Layan have ‘frozen Thursday’ at Ben and Jerry’s , dance in the rain, go downtown for coffee, and enjoy the little moments!