Tulane University Admission Blog - Robbie

Welcome From DC

2010-04-03T14:19:00.000-07:00

Welcome from DC! That’s right. Robbie’s spending his Spring Break at a conference in Washington. As a Latin American Studies major, there are many different avenues to turn the stuff you learn in class and in the books and apply it to everyday life. As a Freshman, I taught English to a group of ESL adults ranging from 20 years of age to 70! And I was only 19 years old!

This week I am engaging in a Latin American public policy seminar called the Model Organization of American States. 10 other Tulane students are taking part on this adventure with me representing the country of Nicaragua as its primary delegation. The class consisted of a seminar based learning environment were the information we gathered about Nicaragua was done by collecting our independent research outside of class. And to top it all off, Tulane has completely provided a trip for all students and faculty to Washington DC to represent the University in the Model!

Get excited guys – I’m going to be studying abroad in Spain next year! More details coming later…

February!!!! A million reasons to live in New Orleans

2010-02-25T09:20:00.000-08:00

SAINTS!!! They won the Superbowl, we all know. The city went wild!

I went to an amazing tailgate thrown by the biggest Saints fans of all time. This family completely decked out a schoolbus with Saints gear and got a nice Saints paint job. The party couldn't have been complete without an authentic New Orleans brass band that led the party to the Superdome for the NFC championship.

Superbowl day! Party in the French Quarter! Met this lady.

Second go around with Mardi Gras!!!!

Playoffs in New Orleans - ringing in the New Year

2010-01-16T09:27:00.000-08:00

You cannot mention New Orleans without thinking about the mighty New Orleans Saints. The Saints have called New Orleans their home since November 1, 1966. Have you ever wondered why the city picked the team name? Well, November 1st is All Saints Day in the Roman Catholic community. So, since there is a large community of Roman Catholics in the greater New Orleans area, it seemed that the name of the team couldn’t be anything else but the New Orleans Saints. The Saints started in Tulane Stadium back in 1966, but would eventually make their way over to the stadium they now call home, the great Louisiana Superdome, 9 years late in 1975. Since then, the city of New Orleans rallied around the beloved football team, a devotion that continues today for fans all across the city and Tulane...and the country.

Today the Saints will take on the Cardinals here in the New Orleans Superdome determining who will go on to compete for the title of NFC champion. It shall be an exciting day for both Tulane and New Orleans indeed.

Where Vampires Play

2009-11-04T06:26:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone has had an exciting Halloween weekend. Here in New Orleans we love the holiday. As you soon shall see, people come all over just to crowd the streets of the French Quarter and the Marigny.And what would New Orleans be without its vampires?

Mario and Luigi

On the streets of the Marigny, east of the French Quarter. Lots of eclectic locals live in this historic neighborhood. Tennessee Williams once lived here. Lady Bug Queen now calls it home.

When The Saints Come Marching In

2009-10-18T19:05:00.000-07:00

You may or may not be aware that the New Orleans' Saints are currently undefeated. Today's game against the New York Giants proved that the team is a forced to be reckoned with. Needless to say, Saints QB Drew Brees shredded New York for 369 yards passing and four touchdowns. Next week we will see New Orleans very own facing the 2-3 Miami Dolphins. Given the teams record, it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Enough with the stats. The New Orleans Saints do more than give New Orleanians and Tulanians alike a team to root for but also deeper pride in their city. After the hurricane, New Orleans was thrust into the the spotlight displaying the tragedy of the flood. However, the hurricane could never wash away the pride its citizens have in the city. When the New Orleans Saints had their first game after the storm in the Superdome, an aura of victory filled the 60,000 + capacity of the dome, a symbol for the catastrophe following the storm. This victory was felt before the Saints led an outstanding win over the Atlanta Falcons back in September of 2006. Then, the Superdome symbolized more than the anguish of its citizens but also their since of triumph that led so many back to start anew in their beloved city.

Whether you are a Saints fan or not, you must recognize that they are returning to become a team that has overcome the worst of odds - just like the city of New Orleans itself.

Not Too Far Up the River...

2009-09-09T05:23:00.000-07:00

I decided to take a small hiatus from New Orleans and the excitement of New Orleans this labor day weekend. Instead, I traveled back home to Shreveport to celebrate my father's birthday, visit friends in Baton Rouge, and rediscover my home state. While Tulane students find New Orleans has everything that they could want, many don't realize that there is a old and beautiful world outside of this waterlocked city not too far up the river.

Deciding how to spend my labor day weekend was a task in itself while I was staying with a friend in Baton Rouge. What would be the best way to spend a day near Baton Rouge? At first, we wanted to go tubing or lay out on a inflatable tube while slowly cruising down a small river near Baton Rouge for four hours. Not quite ready to invest so much time into one particular activity, we ended up deciding to head out to the River Road that winds along the Mississippi from Baton Rouge to New Orleans. River Road is famous for its many plantation estates including Oak Alley, perhaps the grandest of them all.

Having lived in Louisiana for my whole life, it is strange that I had never been to Oak Alley before. Whenever you read books about Louisiana, the 34 live oaks and grand mansion would probably be the cover of the book. Picturesque as it is old, the grounds tell a story about love during winds of change, restoration and reconstruction. Make sure to travel up to Oak Alley and drive down the River Road to catch the grandeur of old time rural Louisiana.

The Frosh is Here

2009-09-02T08:33:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Tulane!!!

It is great to see everyone and catch up with people from over the summer. It has been a busy time for me and a busy time at Tulane. I am an RA in an all freshman dorm which has been very rewarding and big time commitment. My residents are very excited to be here at Tulane which makes me excited. And let me just say that the men of Sharp 5 will dominate this year in flag football intramurals!

The freshman experience cannot be complete without the dormitory experience. The two go hand in hand. Living amongst 400 of your closest friends with your first taste of independence from parents is unbeatable. Everything from the community bathroom, the study lounge, the roommate – things that won’t probably miss after your freshman year but things necessary for an authentic freshman experience.

Our freshman have been doing everything from going on riverboat cruises, listening to Pulitzer Prize winning authors (Junot Diaz, author of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao), and slip n’ sliding during the rain on the quads. Tulane is as fun as ever now.

The Wet & Cold Chilean Summer

2009-08-19T21:09:00.000-07:00

I am sitting in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is your typical August evening; rain falls and humidity is rising once more. This feeling, a very sweaty feeling, is well welcomed considering the climate of my summer.

Tatio Geysers in the Atacama Desert

My summer in Chile was as cold as it was member able. From sandboarding the slopes of sand dunes next to the Pacific to sampling the most monstrous hot dog you have ever seen, my summer was literally a trip that I feel like I should share with you. Not to mention I was in the driest climate in the world, the Atacama Desert, for five days (quite a change from the driest of conditions to the wettest). So let us recap some of the highlights of this wonderful Tulane program.

A Typical Exchange

Hola, ¿Cómo estai, hue-on?

Superbien, flaite.

Qué bueno. ¿Quisieras comer conmigo?

Si, vamos a comer los completos.

Vamos.

Your typical exchange with a Chilean which literally translates:

Hey, How’s it going, asshole?

Awesome, thug.

How nice. Do you want to get something to eat with me?

Ya, let’s go eat some a monster concoction of a hot dog called a completo.

Okay, let’s go.

A Typical Day in Class

Ride the metro in.

Speak a little on poverty in South America.

Discuss what we see every day on the streets of Chile.

Go on the streets of Chile for a class excursion.

Exchange with producers in farmers markets.

Reflect on the Spanish the people use.

A Typical Excursion

Chilling in the mountains in the Atacama Desert.

Santiago

As you can see, it was quite a trip. But not to dwell on the past, Tulane is ready for you! I will blog later on the new Freshman class and the new changes to Tulane.

Summer School in the Winter!!!

2009-07-08T16:30:00.000-07:00

You may have heard of winter quarter or winter break, but have you ever heard of summer school in the winter? Seems like an oxymoron, yet it exists for I am currently participating in one of Tulane’s Stone Center for Latin American Studies Summer Programs. As you may recall, I am in Valparaiso Chile for the last part of June and the whole month of July, practicing Spanish, studying economics, and getting to know a totally different culture than my own. And what else, I am enjoying the beautiful Mediterranean winter full with highs of 50 degrees F and snowcapped mountains. I believe you will agree that this summer abroad opportunity is a more interesting option than staying in New Orleans for a whole year. And the best part about it is that it is completely planned and organized by Tulane University – another reason to make Tulane your college of choice.

So what is a typical day for me while I am taking part in Tulane’s Chile program? Well, first I wake up and take the metro along the Pacific Ocean to school. I attend the Pontificia Catolica Universidad de Valparaiso, a renowned institution in South America for economics and much more. I take a class of Chilean economy which you can see the Congress building from the classroom. My Professor, Dr. Navia, is Tulane alum as well. In my break between classes, I like to stroll the hillside communities of Valparaiso, dotted by colorful houses of Spanish, French, and English influence. My second class I take is a Spanish intensive course discussing the uniqueness of Chilean culture. A typical class activity is to go to the open air market and bye food and other goods using special Chilean phrases. The remainder of my day, I usually have lunch with my host family, the largest meal of the day. My host family is wonderful – I go on excursions and talk about everything with my “madre, hermana, y prima.” It’s a home away from home. Nighttime consists of hanging out with my group or some Chilean friends I have made along the way. Chileans are super friendly and love to have a good time!

Tulane has provided weekend excursions that go to the far north, one of the largest cities in the Southern Hemisphere, and other beautiful and interesting locales. Our first excursion had us in Santiago, Chile , the executive capitol of the country. Chile has about 16 million people in its population with 5 of which living in the Santiago metropolitan area. Though it is a large city, I found it very easy to get around and familiarize myself with it. My favorite activities there were trekking to the top of the “cerros” or large hills that give panoramic views of the city. However, the most rewarding activity was visiting my program directors family and having lunch with them. A typical Sunday lunch is like my Thanksgiving dinner – it was so good it was sinful! In the coming weeks, we are going to visit different islands and homes of famous writer and Nobel Prize winner Pablo Neruda, take a wine tasting tour through the vineyards, go the driest place in the world, the Atacama desert, and take surfing lessons and go sandboarding on the dunes!

There is too much lined up!

This is it for now but I will make sure to keep you posted on my future travels! Chao!

Bittersweet

2009-05-13T10:31:00.000-07:00

Finals are officially over, class rooms have shut their doors, and Tulane University is less lively as usual. Yes, school has let out for the summer. Remember that feeling that you would get whenever high school or perhaps another college would let out for the summer – usually counting down the days right. There are even songs about how great it is to not be in school. That same feeling never came across me while I was packing for home and saying goodbyes to tons of friends from miles away. In a way, I was sad to say bye for a couple of months! Weird, I know but you should come here and see how it feels!

While springtime at Tulane came to an end, there was no end to fun in New Orleans and Tulane during the last few weeks. Tulane and New Orleans had festivals every weekend in April! The festival season was kicked off by Tulane’s very own Crawfest. 15,000 pounds of crawfish, hours of live music, and you and a couple of thousand of your best friends all on the first week of April! Crawfest was a blast and Tulane students had free access to all the fun. Not to mention, two huge festivals in New Orleans were underway in the latter part of the month – French Quarter Fest and Jazzfest! French Quarter Fest is a cultural festival of the history of New Orleans’s most famous neighborhood, the French Quarter. Plenty of food, arts and crafts, and local names headlining the stages which were all free to the public! The most famous of New Orleans festivals, behind Mardi Gras of course, is Jazzfest – huge names like Dave Matthews, Earth Wind and Fire, Etta James, James Taylor, and so much more come to play for two weekends of live music and delicious food. I had some friends come into town for this one – all of whom wanted to see Dave Matthews. It was a truly a fantastic way to celebrate the end of an unforgettable year and let loose some steam before finals week!

Have you ever seen a monkey ride a dog? How about two bison climb a trailer? What about prisoners riding bulls? Well, some friends of mine and myself have! In mid April, we took a Road Trip! to Angola State Penitentiary to see the annual Angola Rodeo where prisoners actually ride bulls and sell arts and crafts of their own craftsmanship. It was quite an adventure. When you got to the state pen, they made us park in a mud pit which latter turned into disaster. The rodeo featured prisoners playing poker while bulls are running around them, thousands of lawn chairs, and a concoction called Fried Coke. It was quite an experience. Leaving back to our car in the mud pit, a truck sprayed the entire front windshield and right side of the vehicle with gallons of mud! We looked real classy rolling back into Tulane from our road trip.

Though different emotions seemed to come over me while I was packing my bags and the car, this time to go back home, I got excited about the events I have lined up for the summer. First, I am getting involved in theatre in my local area by jumping in on a community production of West Side Story. Jumping in three weeks before opening will be quite a challenge seeing that they have been practicing for three months! But, it should be a great way to get involved in something I love. As I mentioned before in my last blog, I will be taking part in Tulane’s Chile Summer Program, a summer study abroad program that awards two classes and the opportunity to travel one of the most beautiful and interesting nations in South America. I have been looking forward to this for quite a while. I will be leaving in late June so this blog will become a document of my experiences in my five weeks in Chile. It is important to note that Tulane offers many summer abroad programs such as Brazil, Australia, and the United Kingdom. You should go to http://global.tulane.edu/studyabroad/programs/summer/index.html and check them out.

(The Atacama Desert in northern Chile, a destination during my stay there in July)

Spring into Tulane

2009-03-26T10:22:00.000-07:00

What’s up everybody? Now that most of you have received your acceptance letters or will be soon, (the anxiety is killing you isn’t it) it’s time to decide where will you be spending your next four years – or five or six. Considering Tulane? (if you are reading this you probably are) Well if you are, April is the month to come visit campus. There are tons of events lined up for admitted students including Destination Tulane - a month long extravaganza where Tulane will wine you and dine you until you just have to come to school here! Every admitted student is invited to come down and see the campus and speak to Tulanians themselves. Another great way to get acquainted to the university is Honors Weekend. Honors Weekend is specifically for the admitted Honors Freshman where Tulane will host and treat them to the best of Tulane. You will also get priority registration if you attend this weekend so it is well worth the travels. And if you are coming for the April 5-6 Honors Weekend, try to come down on Saturday the 4th as well. Tulane will be putting on its own huge spring festival called Crawfest! Crawfest is a daylong event that includes thousands of pounds of crawfish, a Louisiana delicacy, and live music all day. Yes, April is a busy month but it is all about the admitted students here on campus so if you haven’t visited yet, do so before you commit anywhere else!

Other than that, I have been a busy guy myself. Mardi Gras is long and gone; however, I will never be able to forget my experience. Think of Mardi Gras as being a two week long party where thousands of people crowd the streets to catch cheap beads. There is never a dull moment. Tulane has a Mardi Gras break for students to take part in the festivities so there isn’t any sacrificing of school work. The great thing about the setup of Mardi Gras is that a lot of it occurs in the uptown district of New Orleans where Tulane is located. This is also where mostly locals go to celebrate Carnival rather than the touristy areas of downtown. When you become a Tulane student, you become a local New Orleanian knowing the uptown district much better than the downtown district. Mardi Gras is a blast, and I can’t wait for next years’.

Recently, I traveled to New York City to host an admitted students reception in Manhattan. My close friend and I are both members of Green Wave Ambassadors (GWA) who are the students that give the tours on campus, sit in on student panels, and host kids for different events like Honors Weekend. We also can travel with the admissions department to different cities to host these receptions. My friend and I had a blast hosting the New York reception – we got to speak to a group of more than 100 individuals, both students and parents alike, and answer their questions. I encourage you to visit your local reception – it’s a great opportunity to visit with an admissions counselor and Tulane students and alums. On the trip to New York, we explored the city. I went to see a Broadway show called August Osage County which was hilarious and quite tragic, roam through central park, and see the different sights and hear the different sounds. It was a great experience, and even Tulane was a part of it.

In and around campus, I have continued my involvement with the Undergraduate Student Government. For those that have committed to Tulane and are interested in student government, elections will be held next fall and you can chose to run as the USG representative through your residence hall or your academic school. I also received word that I will be a Resident Advisor for next year. Currently, I am applying for summer school. This summer school is quite different from staying on campus – instead I will hopefully be traveling to Valparaiso, Chile to study Spanish and Economics in a five week program. I will make sure to keep you posted about these happenings.

Spring Happenings

2009-02-15T11:18:00.001-08:00

It has been a while since I last posted, but what a while it has been. With the beginning of a new semester not only comes with a class schedule but a whole line of new events waiting to happen. Here are some highlights of this next semester here at Tulane and New Orleans.

JAZZFEST - The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, a/k/a Jazz Fest, is a 10-day cultural feast in which thousands of musicians, cooks and craftspeople welcome 400,000 visitors each year. The Louisiana Heritage Fair showcases unforgettable music on multiple stages, delicious Louisiana cuisine in two large food areas, and crafts artisans from the region and around the world demonstrating and selling their work. The Louisiana Heritage Fair is held at the Fair Grounds Race Course over the course of 2 weekends. They are April 24, 25, 26 & April 30, May 1, 2, 3, 2009. Headliners include Neil Young, Bon Jovi, Aretha Franklin, James Taylor, Earth Wind & Fire, Kings of Leon and Dave Matthews Band. By then most of you will have made your college decisions but if not, these two weekends will surely impress you.

TULANE GREEN WEEK – As a Green Week committee member, this week is the spring semester’s equivalent to Homecoming. There will be lots of free giveaways like T-Shirts, Koozies, Hats, Food, and much more. There will be a band or two all gearing up for some of Tulane Baseball’s most anticipated games. That Friday we will play the USC Trojans. Just last year, Tulane revealed Turchin Stadium, our newly renovated baseball stadium. At Tulane, like all our athletics, we are especially proud of the baseball team that is continuously nationally ranked.

Of course for prospective, we have the SPRING ORIENTATION series that include Destination Tulane, Honors Week, and Louisiana Week. This is a perfect opportunity to visit the university and get to know not only Tulane students and staff but prospective like yourselves. Make sure to sign up for one of these events so you can experience some of that good ole` southern Tulane hospitality. And if you are lucky enough you may meet this guy like I did when I visited during orientation...

And last but certainly not least MARDI GRAS, which is going NOW. I’ll make sure to update you about my happenings whenever this festival comes to a close. So look out for the next post to see a freshman’s first experience with carnival. Until then, Go Green Wave!

A Month Without Tulane

2009-01-06T10:24:00.000-08:00

I can remember how stressful this time of year last year was for me. Hoards of college essays, scholarship applications, and schoolwork were piling on me giving no chance to breathe. If you are a senior, I know how you feel.

Hear the good news. This time next year you will have so much time with so little to do. Just a small perk that comes with being in college. However, this can be good and bad. Winter break for most of us is a month without Tulane. And a break after finals week can be just what the doctor prescribed.

Things to do back at home on Winter Break:
1. Spend time with your family - they may have changed after you last saw them.
2. Catch up with friends that are stuck at home too - these people probably have changed.
3. Eat at your favorite restaurants or Mom and Dad's cooking if you prefer.
4. Possibly get a job - you'll need the money because all college students are broke.
5. Catch up on hobbies that you can't find time for in college - like traveling, movies, video games
6. Enjoy your private bathroom
7. Buy more useless stuff
8. Facebook your friends from school
9. Hang out with high school friends some more until it starts to feel like summer with cold weather
10. Get excited about going back to school again - a new and strange feeling you didn't have in high school

My break has been a month now, and I have enjoyed being with my family and friends. Christmas was great this year with all the foods and people that make it the nicest time of the year - I would say relaxing but the pressure to buy the right gifts keeps on getting more intense as I grow older or have more money to spend. My nieces have grown while I've been away. It's fun to see them have a good Christmas now. Catching up with important people in my life has been fun, but now I am ready to go back to Tulane.

Being a Tulane student, you will realize that winter breaks comes at home comes with its disadvantages also.

Disadvantages of being home for winter break from Tulane:

1. Absence of the convenience of Bruff Commons
2. Nowhere to spend 50 cents quite as well as you can in New Orleans on Tuesday nights
3. Missing your favorite campus personalities like Granny Cart Lady or Louis, the Man with the Pipe
4. Having over 7,000 people your own age within a mile radius of you at any given time
5. Omelets all day Sunday at Bruff
6. Getting credit hours for eating candy in a Tides class
7. For most of us, not having the option to go to the zoo whenever you so please
8. Missing free Krispy Kremes on Friday mornings
9. Reminiscing about the hours spent in Howard Tilton Library surfing Facebook when you should be writing that 12 page paper
10. The live music outside of the LBC every so often

I can't wait to get back for my next semester so in a week so look forward to another entry soon.

Palm Trees and Snow Don't Usually Mix...

2008-12-14T22:01:00.000-08:00

College life – sometimes you forget what you’re really here for. Finals week can slap you back into reality, however, as I experienced in these last two weeks. During these past two weeks in preparation for my final exams, my permanent residence changed to Howard-Tilton Library. But the more the work, the more there is call for celebration when you finally finish! I came through my first semester unscathed. And ushering in the holiday season is something Tulanians do best.

The holiday season is upon us. Lights deck the beautiful houses along St. Charles Avenue. Holiday songs are a normal commodity. Bruff prepares delicious holiday foods. And tacky Christmas sweaters are actually cool. Tulanians have been taking breaks from their studies by celebrating the winter season. Cowboy Christmas is a staple among a certain fraternity during the holiday season where the guests are asked to dress as a cowboy or Santa or both – and snow in the form of a pit of packing peanuts helps to remind those that may have forgotten it.

But wait – NEW ORLEANS HAD REAL SNOW FALL DURING FINALS WEEK! Yes, the quads were filled with snow angels and lopsided snowmen. The palm trees throughout campus turned white for a day. While the more latitude challenged individuals such as me witnessed snow in New Orleans, we freaked out. It seriously never snows in New Orleans. Some of us thought it was a big enough deal to show our Northern friends the snow by waking them up! However, they didn’t find as amusing as us since most of them had seen it over their Thanksgiving Break. And a little FYI – the snow fell on the day of my first final after all the tedious hours stuck in the library. Coincidence – doubt it!

Political Science 101

2008-11-18T16:52:00.000-08:00

What an exciting time in an exciting place! I have been looking forward for my chance to vote in a presidential election before I even knew what politics were. Now I am old enough and have clear political convictions, but I was still excited to exercise my right on Election Day. That Tuesday, I along with the majority of Tulane’s undergraduate population had the opportunity to voice our opinion in the presidential election. We came out in droves – the line of people waiting to vote wrapped around the LBC, our beautiful new University Center, from the time the polls opened until they closed. Tulane is truly a great place for politics. Both the College Democrats and College Republicans are extremely active within the Tulane Community – I have seen Obama and McCain supporters campaigning everyday for the past six weeks! Not to mention, many people have gotten involved in local political campaigns such as the highly profiled Senatorial campaign for Mary Landrieu. Just in the past year, Tulane has attracted huge names in politics such as Bill Clinton, Ann Coulture, Ralph Nader, and not to mention Barack Obama himself. Just this past Monday, Tulane’s speaker series hosted a debate pitting Mike Huckabee against Senator Harold Ford Jr.

There was a different air about Tulane’s campus on that Tuesday. I found it very difficult getting my mind off of the election and how it would turn out all day. Most of my conversations began with “Did you vote” or something along those lines. My friends and I while eating at Bruff (which offered a whole array of American staples such as apple pie, corned beef and swiss, etc.) couldn’t help but discuss politics and how we thought the election would turn out. My Spanish teacher decided to allow a full political discussion in her class to celebrate the day.

That night two friends of mine and I camped out in Monroe 703 watching the returns. We each had a laptop actively refreshing different websites so that we may be the first to know. As we watched history taking place, I was putting my political knowledge to work from my Introduction to Political Science class making predictions of certain states and understanding certain demographics. I will admit to you that I was extremely pleased with the results of the election, and many of my fellow Tulanians felt the same way. Fireworks were bursting in front of my dorm, and screams of excitement filled the air on campus. Election Day is my new favorite holiday, and I am glad to have celebrated here on campus!

The Whirlwind of Freshman Year

2008-11-12T13:34:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my blog, everyone!

As you may know, I am a new Freshman at Tulane University. Having started in late August, I have already experienced half of the semester with Thanksgiving Break soon approaching. Its crazy how much I have experienced in the past few months - everything from hurricanes, parties, midterms, historic presidential elections, famous speakers, and birthdays. Here is your chance to get a glimpse of how exciting Freshman year has been for me and will undoubtedly be for you!

On August 23rd, my family and I packed a 2005 Ford Explorer full with school supplies, bed linens, clothes (mostly summer clothes because New Orleans weather is amazing all year round), and other essentials like the Xbox 360. The ride from Shreveport took at least 5 hours with me basically riding on top of boxes in the back seat. But I couldn't care less how uncomfortable my seating arrangement was because just that next day I was starting a new chapter in my life.

Not knowing what was in store for me, I was filled with mostly excitement. Through the spring and summer orientations, I had met some great people that I had kept in contact with over the summer. I even met someone from Shreveport at orientation that I have kept great friends with (our picture is to the left). Tulane tends to pull people from all over the United States and the world. Only about 15% of the student population is from the state of Louisiana, so I came in knowing no one from my high school or hometown. However, I wanted this experience of something new and exciting with other people pursuing the same. I got that by going to Tulane University.

Arriving at Tulane the morning of move in day, I quickly found my room and settled my stuff in. Without my mom's help, I don't think I could have arranged everything to get my room looking nice and orderly. My roommate was there situating his stuff, too. My roommate and I actually met at a summer leadership camp the year before called Louisiana Boy's State. When we found out that we were both going to Tulane, we jumped the gun and decided to room with each other. The rest of that week included tons of festivities such as the river cruise and other seminars to get us acquainted to university life. The best part of Welcoming Week was meeting all the new students. I quickly made friends with tons of kids that I hadn't met at orientation. Although we were quickly cut short by Hurricane Gustav, it was perhaps the most exciting week of the year.

Classes had only been held two days before Tulane mandated that all students must be evacuated. However, Tulane was on top of their game by moving all the students that didn't have transportation elsewhere to Jackson State University in Jackson, MS two days before mandatory evacuation was called for New Orleans. My hero of a father drove down after he got off work from Shreveport and picked my friend and I up driving us back in the middle of the night. Fears of what occurred after Hurricane Katrina were rekindled. What became of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina created the largest service initiative in United States recent history. I among thousands of others lended our hands in service to those three years ago. I completed over 200 hours of community service in New Orleans between January of 2006 and today. This service led me back to New Orleans so that I may continue my involvement in the rebirth of one of America's most vivid and important cities. Hurricane Gustav threatened this dream, however. While I was back in Shreveport, my friend and I decided to spend our "hurrication" working in the refugee shelters in the area. To our relief, Hurricane Gustav left only a scratch on the city of New Orleans which can be attributed to work that has been done on the levees since the catastrophe three years ago. Coming back to Tulane felt like coming home.

Ever since the hurricane we have enjoyed beautiful weather, an amazing Homecoming weekend, student government elections, and great outings with friends. School has proven tough but rewarding. I love my Latin Americans Studies and Introduction to Politics classes. Getting involved on campus has helped me meet some amazing and interesting people around campus. Perhaps the most significant thing I am involved in is Undergraduate Student Government. USG is the equivalent to SGA or Student Council in other schools. It is Tulane Undergrad's governing body where we make decisions that affect the quality of life at Tulane. Running for USG was extremely competitive - there were 28 Freshman that ran with only five positions available. However, campaigning was a lot of fun for me - I was forced to meet new people. There were funny campaign slogans from the other candidates, one of which said "Vote for Duffy - we probably met at the Boot", a local bar that is popular among some students. My hard work paid off, and now I am involved in the governing process at Tulane even though I am only a Freshman.

I celebrated my 19th birthday back in September. My parents drove down and took me out to eat at Pascal's Manale, a uptown restaurant known for their BBQ shrimp. We spent the whole day together going to NOMA, New Orleans Museum of Art, and chilling in their hotel. That night, my friends took me out for a night on the town. It was a first without friends from home but it proved to be one of the most fun birthdays in recent memory.

Homecoming was another great weekend filled with festivities all week long. My parents again came down for the Parents Weekend where we enjoyed each others company by going to the Funky Metrics concert put on by Tulane. The previous night Tulane held Reel Big Fish and Benjy Davis Project, one of my favorite local bands, for a student concert. Homecoming game featured tailgating and fun with parents. My friend from New Orleans had a family tailgate that she invited us to join. I enjoyed good New Orleans food while my parents got to meet other Tulane parents. Though we lost the game against Army, my friends and I still enjoyed that evening by going downtown to hear a benefit concert by Rebirth Brass Band, an amazing New Orleans band. Overall it was a terrific experience.

Tulane has been a wonderful place for me these past few months. I am excited to blog about my experiences in order to give you a better idea of the school. I think you will agree with me that Tulane could very well be as special to you as it is for me!

Coming Soon!

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Robbie's Blog is coming soon!