According to these soon-to-be upperclassmen, their greatest challenge has been managing time and money.

Erin Cala, who is majoring in English and environmental studies, said time management has been the most difficult thing to learn but says she finally has found a balance between studying and partying. She also has become involved in campus activities. "I have been working on an internship with environmental studies which involves improving existing policies on recycling and energy conservation on campus," she explained.

Cala, who has been living off campus since last year, misses the convenience of being a few minutes away from everybody, but says her experience in Governors was not an enjoyable one.

Money management difficult

Managing money has been the most difficult aspect of college life for architecture major Susan Deacon of Auburn. "I have spent a lot more money here than I ever had in the past." Deacon, who said her workload has become significantly heavier since last year, would force herself to study harder if she could change one thing about college so far. "I can be lazy and procrastinate at times," she admitted. "Projects take up a lot of time and I definitely do not go out as much as I did freshman year."

Some of the members of the Class of 2000 have changed majors, while the undecided are realizing they have to declare one. The undergraduate academic advising office received unfavorable reviews from most of the students.

A prospective speech and hearing major, Elana Steinhaus is less than impressed with the advising office. "On two accounts, they added mistakes on my transcript and did not really help me with difficult class decisions," she said.

Steinhaus, an active member of Phi Sigma Sigma sorority, looks forward to moving off campus next year and having a car, but also feels financial pressures. "All I wish is that I would have started saving more money for college way before I started attending. I never feel like I have a dollar in my pocket," she said.

More campus activities

Kaya Gerberich, a resident advisor who will be a UB orientation aide this summer, is trying to decide on a major, but remains a dance minor. "I came in as a biology major." Gerberich is very involved in organizations on campus, especially in the residence halls. "I am continuing to expand my involvement in other campus organizations and activities, especially for next year."

She admitted she wished she knew what she wanted to do for the rest of her life but adds that her experience has been a positive one. "I've grown so much. I'm testing my limits and finding my strengths and weaknesses in all aspects of my life. I've found things I love to do and hate to do, and found the balance between what I can do all at once! It's been great and I wouldn't change a thing," said Gerberich.

Margaret Zak of Brooklyn changed her major from architecture to communication. "I wasn't getting any satisfaction from doing the work and it wasn't worth it for me to go through the program," she said. "After working with Career Planning and Placement, I realized that I am much more interested in public relations than architecture." This summer, she hopes to land an internship at a public-relations firm.

Zak said she was fully adjusted her first day here. "Being away from home and learning about life at UB was not an issue for me. Perhaps the hardest thing to get used to was the cold weather lasting so long."

Jennifer Cotignola agreed. "I am adjusted. I love it here. The cold weather and living with someone else have been the hardest things to get used to." Living with three other girls has taught Cotignola how to control her moods and respect others in ways she never had to before. "I am more mature now. I don't need mommy doing things for me. I learned about my fears, likes and dislikes about myself. I also learned how to get along with people," she acknowledged.

After taking some required courses for computer-science majors, Jennifer Abbata of Webster decided that she preferred business and changed her major. Next year, she will continue to enjoy the benefits of on-campus living. "There are too many good things, like ethernet, to move off," she said.

Abbata has been preparing herself since high school for the real world. "I have already been an intern at Xerox and am currently an intern at Bausch & Lomb," she said.

Jason Toto, who will take summer classes at UB, has decided to major in nuclear medical technology, but said the academic advising has been "horrible." He said advisors ignored his prior credits and made him retake classes he didn't need. "It is almost as though UB is setting up their students to be here for five or more years just to keep the tuition money coming in," he said. "I have been to four different 'advisors' and none of them knew what to tell me or how to guide me through this huge university."

However, college life has shown him how to succeed away from home. "The hardest thing has been learning how to cook for myself and finding where to eat on campus to avoid the poor food they serve to us," noted Toto.

Advising was helpful

Sean Webb, on the other hand, has found the academic advising office very helpful. "I only have changed my major once-from business management to economics-only because I couldn't hack the math." Joining Sigma Alpha Epsilon has helped him fully adjust to college life. "I went out to rush and met some really nice guys. I would love for more people to be involved in Greek life," said Webb. "To be honest, I party a lot and I slack off a bit in school," he admitted. "But that is what college is all about-living on your own. I have found the real me and I am enjoying it."

Taking classes at UB are Neene Owate's plans for this summer-although being away from home in Brooklyn has been the hardest adjustment for her in college. "I still have not adjusted," said Owate, who now spends most of her time studying and will continue living on the South Campus next year.

Tanya Stanger, a marketing major from Merrick, will do an internship this summer in New York City at a publication company, hopefully in the marketing department. As for help from the advising office, she said some advisors were helpful, others were useless.

Hardest adjustments

As she plans to move off campus next year, Stanger said if she could change one thing about her college experience so far it would be to have moved off campus after freshman year. "Living in a dorm and being so far from family have been the hardest adjustments," she said.

Media-study major Chris Fedorczak said managing time has been one of the hardest adjustments, especially as his workload increased. "I have spent a lot of time in editing rooms and computer labs working on projects and assignments in the past year," said Fedorczak, who interned last summer at a radio station in New York City. This summer, he plans on working at a television station or film production company. His view on the college experience: "It gives an individual a chance to go out into the world and become independent. It lets you be exposed to different experiences and people. And these experiences will last forever. College hasn't changed me, but it has helped me become the person that I am."