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Snow Day Fun!

I hope that as you read this you are safe and warm!  We now have a LOT of snow in New England, after what has seemed like months of a non-white winter.  Worcester got hit with a record-breaking 33.5 inches, and apparently more snow is on the way!

Since Holy Cross’ campus shut down on Tuesday, I read applications from home (and shoveled out my car as a reading break!).  As I worked through my virtual pile of files, I could not help but think about how students might be enjoying their day off–the main dining hall, campus center, libraries, and rec center all closed by 7pm on Monday and reopened on Wednesday.  With that in mind, what did students do on Tuesday?  I asked some of our social media interns to send me a picture and tell me how they spent their snow day on Mt. St. James (I believe it was the first in about 7 years!).  Here are their responses:

Natalie Correa, ’17: I spent the day catching up on homework and binge watching Netflix with my roommate!

Maddy Smith, ’17: Played in the snow for a little until I was told to go inside! Then watched a movie and had cocoa!

Mackenzie Horl, ’17: Upon waking up Wednesday morning, many ‘Saders could not wait to venture outside and see how much snow Mt. St. James had received. When the “shelter in place” was lifted….student put on their Bean boots and puffy winter coats to go…conquer the many hills around campus

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I love that the students stayed safe but still enjoyed the winter wonderland that the campus must have become!
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Some Advice before the Regular Deadline Deadline Approaches

Winter scenes 2014    Scenic Photos,

As of 1:54PM today, we have 34 hours, 5 minutes, and 21…20…19 seconds until 12:01AM on Thursday, January 15, 2015.  That means applicants have only a few more days to submit their applications to most colleges and universities, including the College of the Holy Cross!  We in the Office of Admissions are so excited for reading season because now is when we get to see applicants in their entirety: their essay(s), their transcripts, their letters of support…all of those pieces that have taken students, their families, and their teachers/coaches/supervisors so many months to put together.  We applaud you for your efforts and look forward to seeing the final result!

Looking for inspiration for this first post of 2015 I went back again to the blog archives and found some great advice from a former colleague that I would like to share with you here.  Without further ado, here are some words of wisdom from last January:

“The anxious tone of recent phone calls and e-mails has me wishing I could stand in front of each and every one of you to look you in the eye, ask you to take a deep breath, and remind you that it will all work out. And with this calmness comes a clear mind and keen eye, eliminating the chance for sloppy mistakes or rushed writing. Yes, every piece of the application is vitally important; however, if your mind is frantic from the stress of attaining perfection by a deadline, you can easily lose your footing as you try to put your best foot forward.  [So] take a walk in the brisk winter air. Eat dinner with your family and talk about something other than college applications. See a movie with your friends. Read a book for fun. Before you know it, the chaos inside your brain will settle, the stress will float away, and the final days before a deadline will feel much more manageable.”

I hope that you will take this advice to heart….I know that I will as I begin to think about all of the application files I need to read!

Another thing to mention: it is not too late to send us supplemental information!  If you would like to send us an additional essay, an update on your activities, or perhaps a paragraph or two on why you love Holy Cross, please do.  We may be reached at admissio@holycross.edu, and we would love to hear from you!