Dear Wanting-an-answer,

Lack of the ability to concentrate can be a symptom of many things. Sounds like it is time to figure this one out.  No reason to waste energy using only part of your potential.

It is clear that you need to be doing something different.  Maybe medication would help, maybe better study or life habits, maybe it's a medical icondition or maybe counseling will help relieve issues that are getting in your way.

Please make an appointment to see a counselor at Gannett Health Center, 5-5155 or stop in to see a counselor at Let's Talk.  "Let's Talk" is a program that provides easy access to informal confidential consultations with counselors from Gannett Health Services. Counselors hold walk-in hours at sites around campus Monday through Friday.  http://www.gannett.cornell.edu/services/counseling/caps/talk/index.cfm.  There is no reason for you to continue suffering alone. 

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Movie Buff,

Yes, Olin Library has a collection of movies for loan.  The collection is diverse and includes classic films, scholarly films and popular films.  They are all included in the Library catalogs.  The movies are housed in the Media Center in the basement of Olin Library.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Confused,

So sorry that life is difficult for you right now.  But I'm glad that you are dealing with this so soon in the semester, rather then hiding the fact that things aren't going well.  Feeling overwhelmed is not unusual.  Some students can find resources on campus to get back on track, some adjust their schedule to find balance and for some a Leave of Absence is the best way to address issues that are getting in the way of meeting your full potential.

Without knowing all of your specific circumstances, I can't give you advice.  But I do know that the people in your Academic and Advising or Student Services Office talk to students about this decision all of the time. They can point you to many resources on campus and let you know about the process of taking a leave.  I am sure that one visit with them will help you understand your situation better so you can make an informed decision.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear New Rider,

As I always say, walking is good for you, especially after sitting in classes all day.  What a wonderful thing it is; to get where you need to go for free and get exercise and fresh air at the same time!

But I know it's cold, so here's the scoop.  Follow this web address, http://www.transportation.cornell.edu/tms/cms/parking/about/onlineforms.cfm,  and find "Student parking and Bus Pass Purchase Form."  Fill it out, pay the fee and you will be able to use your Cornell ID to ride the bus throughout Cornell and the Ithaca vicinity.  If you are a first year student the pass is free and automatically registered on your ID.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Engineering Student,

According to the building coordinator in Kimball, Dan Mittler, all Cornell students can access Thurston/Kimball by swiping their I.D. card at the lock on the quad side of the building. If your I.D. Card doesn't work to open the doors to the Engineering buildings please see someone in Student Services to find out how it can be fixed.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Business major,

I have an even better idea!

The Cayuga Club Toastmasters meet every Tuesday from 7-8pm on the 6th floor of Rhodes Hall in Conference Room #655, Cornell. They are a diverse group of Cornell students, PhD. candidates, Cornell staff, Ithaca College graduates, townies, foreign nationals, young, old, and in between. Some have little or no public speaking experience, others have been speaking for years. They learn by doing in a friendly and supportive environment.

Their mission is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every member has the opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth. Anyone can come to the meetings any time! No invitation necessary. Find out more info at, http://cayuga.freetoasthost.us/

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Desperate,

Here is the lowdown from Arts and Sciences.  If you are in a different college at Cornell, you will have to check to see if your college has the same rules.  For example, I think that you are never allowed to repeat a course in ILR.

"Students occasionally need to repeat courses. If the instructor certifies that the course content is significantly different, credit is granted a second time. If the content is the same, both grades nonetheless appear on the transcript and are included in any GPA that is calculated, but the course and credit count toward the degree only once. Repeated courses do not count toward the 12 credits required for good standing. Students considering repeating a course under this circumstance should discuss the matter with their advisor and an advising dean. Students who plan to repeat a course must submit a petition to the college registrar, Sally O’Hanlon, 55 Goldwin Smith Hall. If the original course grade was F, no petition is necessary."

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Advisee,

I am not sure that you will be assigned a new advisor.  You might have to seek one out yourself.  Every college at Cornell is different.  I suggest a trip to your college's Academic and Advising or Student Services Office to find out the procedure for your school.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Confused Neice,

Well, the general rule is that 12 credits is the minimum for being considered full-time and that going below 12 credits is problematic for financial aid, for NCAA eligibility, and for being considered generally in good standing. 

There are variations among the colleges in terms of response to students slipping below 12 and therefore I strongly suggest that you stop in the Academic Advising and Student Services Office for your college "before" you decide to drop below twelve.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Almost at Cornell,

I feel your anticipation!

The best source of information for new students is always newstudents.cornell.edu.

The best thing for ED students to do is be patient as the rest of your class is selected for admission.  There is nothing that you are missing out on.

After students have decided to matriculate to Cornell (both ED and regular decision) you will start to receive regular correspondence from Cornell this spring.  All of this information is contained on newstudents.cornell.edu.  One of the best features of the website is a To-Do list which keeps students (and parents) informed of everything you need to be doing each month leading up to their arrival on campus in late August.  The To-Do List will be updated in April with information for the Class of 2014. 

Other important dates for new students include:

Move-In Day:  August 20^th, 2010 (all new undergrad students move onto campus and start Orientation)

New Student Orientation: August 20^th- August 24, 2010

Family Orientation:  August 20-August 22, 2010

First Day of Classes:  Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Parents’ Weekend:  October 22-24, 2010

(note: the above dates pertain to undergraduates only, all first-years in the Class of 2014 and new undergrad transfer students, graduate students have a completely different timeline).

As a final note, all new students (ED and regular decision) are invited to participate in Cornell Days in April.  Information about this program will be mailed to all new students in March, but it is a great opportunity for admitted students to come to campus and get to know the Cornell community better.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Sleepy,

There is a city noise ordinance that the police and city officials enforces. For more info go to www.ci.ithaca.ny.us

You can call the police (anonymously if need be).  You could also complain to the landlord.

Hope this helps and you can get some sleep soon!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Kevin,

You are welcome!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Dreadfully Interested,

You should have been here (in the early 1900s) when a “murderous revenge plot” was afoot. But you do have a dagger-sharp eye for architectural styles.  The building at 124 Roberts Place was called “a good local example of a Craftsman-style residence with a Swiss chalet-style balustrade” (in 2006) when the homeowner asked permission of the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission to change his driveway. That permission was required because properties on Roberts Place are part of the nationally recognized Cornell Heights Historic District.

Much of the Cornell Heights H.D. has a “curvilinear street plan, lavish landscape features, dramatic geographical setting,” according to the landmarks commission “ . . . in the tradition of the ‘ideal’ residence park developed in the second half of the nineteenth century and popularized by Frederick Law Olmsted after the Civil War.” Something to think about when you cross the suspension bridge from campus and head north.

And what’s so historic about Roberts Place places?  At that 2006 public hearing, it was revealed that 124 Roberts “originally housed the privately owned Comstock Publishing Corporation (1893-1931) operated by John Henry Comstock. Both 122 and 124 Roberts Place were bequeathed to Cornell in 1931 and became facilities for the early Cornell University Press.”

So that explains the sign on the balustraded building, which appeared silently in the 1916 “Beatrice Fairfax” film, “The Stone God.” The film concerns “a forbidden marriage, a murderous revenge plot by an Indian prince, and an English explorer who dared to defile a temple and steal a sacred idol,” according to the Academy of Cliffhanger Arts and Sciences website.  The Wharton brothers made serial films (like “The Mysteries of Myra” and “The New Exploits of Elaine”) from what is now Stewart Park (also worth a visit if you’re into period architecture, or water bird watching) and Cornell University Press subsequently moved to the historically significant Sage House (for sure worth checking out) on East State Street. CU Press traces its steamy origins to Sibley Hall, where our first students set type by hand and printed their own textbooks on presses powered by steam.

Oh, the fun you’ll have rambling around here and reading signs.  Thanks to Mary Tomlan (the former Ithaca Common Council member, Third Ward, and champion of historic districts) for help tracking down the weathered sign, which reads: ART & DESIGN (then a little white star) TYPOGRAPHY (next line) PRODUCTION

Uncle Ezra