Dear Roommate

I hear that you don't want to rock the boat, but are getting fed up with your roommate's behavior.

We do NOT recommend that you ignore this, or any other roommate issue you may have. If the Residence Hall staff or the Police were to become aware of this situation, you could be at risk for sharing in the consequences of this infraction. When students are in these situations, we recommend that you tell your roommate that you do not want this activity in your room. If you are uncomfortable having this discussion, you may contact your hall staff and explore a room change.

This is a good time of year for all roommates to revisit their current situations to see if there is anything you want to change in your agreements with one another. You may have other issues you wish to address with your roommate, and we recommend you discuss these in as open and non-threatening manner as you can.

One way to do that is to refrain from blaming or criticizing, but instead talk about how certain behaviors make you feel and what the consequences of those behaviors are for you.  Then ask for what you need.  In some cases a compromise will work best, but in this case you need to tell him that pot smoking in your dorm room is not acceptable. 

Please know that the Residence Hall Staff is available to assist if you wish. They have dealt with issues like these before and can work as your advocate, while keeping in mind the feelings of your roommate.

Good luck!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Applicant,

We will be posting an announcement on the admissions home page later this week with information and instructions for Early Decision notification. http://admissions.cornell.edu/  It will appear under the Admissions Office News banner.

Good luck!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Shopper,

Uncle Ezra is lucky enough to get a free PC from Cornell, so he just uses that. But lots of his friends love their Macs! I asked a computer engineer friend which was better, and it turns out that Mac users love their Macs for very different reasons. My engineer buddy says there is no question that MacBooks are elegant and reliable, if somewhat expensive. Some applications, particularly graphics arts, video production and music offer better software for the Mac, and there are large user communities of arts professionals to support them. It's also true that for "simple" limited computer use (MS Office and internet), the Mac OS is simpler and more reliable. Also, the whole Apple "iGadget" world of music and video distribution, including the brand-new Apple Air Tunes, are "native" to OS-X.

The flip side of this "arty stuff" is that many scientists and computer software architects also tend to prefer Macs, partly because of the Unix OS core in Mac OS-X. If any of this arty, simplicity or techie stuff appeals to you, the extra cost may be justified. Macbooks can "dual boot" either Windows and MAC OS. Many MacBook users prefer to use the MAC OS as their "home" platform, but a few primarily use Windows.

On the other hand, if you think you will never, or only very rarely want to use the Mac OS, you are probably better off getting a $2,000 PC. Windows 7 is much more reliable and noticeably faster than any previous version, and maybe even a little bit simpler. In some sizes, you can get a lighter PC-only machine for the same money, if weight is important to you. Many packaging styles and combinations of features are available.

It's a good idea to stick with the major brands so you can get service and software updates if needed. My friend stresses that WHATEVER computer you consider buying, even Macs, TAKE THE TIME to read online reviews, and to make a simple chart to compare your "wish list" items in different models. Spending some time up front will make you a lot happier down the road!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Egg Nog Nephew,

Yes, your egg nog wishes are answered! Cornell Dairy egg nog quarts are available now at the Cornell Orchards retail store and Trillium Express through the holiday season. And Cornell Dining is pouring egg nog lattes at their coffee shops on campus.

According to the Department of Food Science website at www.dairystore.cornell.edu,  “Our new recipe, a true, old-fashioned egg nog is made fresh in small batches with milk, cream, sugar, eggs, and nutmeg. You will surely taste the difference in this premium egg nog.”

Glug, glug . . . let’s toast to a great holiday season!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Student,

Professors walk a fine line between being open and accommodating to students who have reasonable concerns and responding to those students who are manipulative, greedy or aggressive in asking for more than they deserve.  They are also balancing teaching, research, advising and administrative duties in an economy which has, in many cases, decreased their administrative support.  With the competitive atmosphere in some majors at Cornell I can see how many students might be pushing for that extra point and that annoys some professors.

On the other hand, you deserve the time to discuss reasonable concerns, especially when you are confused or feel that you have been graded unfairly.  Education is, at its best, a discourse between teacher and student where the distinction between each role blurs as each learns from the other and respects each other. 

It is never ok for anyone to demean another or put them down.  Bullying has finally gotten a lot of media attention. Silly pranks, harsh words, unfair criticism and prejudice can have very tragic results. Time is ripe for everyone to question their behavior and interactions and to assess when they might be doing something to harm the self esteem of others.

But back to your question.  You want to know how you should feel. All the feelings that you have are valid, as they are your true feelings. You say that you feel confused and embarrassed.  That makes sense given your interpretation of the interaction, but I also shared a few other ways to interpret the scenario that might result in different feelings. 

Here are two different things to think about whenever you are faced with situations that leave you confused.  First, think outside the box and come up with a number of different ways of perceiving the situation.  Broaden your viewpoint to include many possible scenarios as you take into consideration what everyone involved might be experiencing.

Second, know that negative feelings are great motivators to take action.  The action that you take will be determined by what you think or your perception of the situation.  In this case you might let the prof know how embarrassed you felt after talking with him if you think he intentionally put you down or apologize to him if you think that you were being greedy, or read the course grading system better next time to prevent future confusion, or refrain from approaching a professor for minute changes in grade, but save your time with professors for a better understanding of the material or intellectual discussions about the things you are passionate about.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Pokemon Ranger,

You'll have to check with Pikachu, last seen in the Thanksgiving Parade in New York City!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Staying for Summer,

Summer is a special time in Ithaca—beautiful weather, glorious vegetation, and fewer people, so there’s easy access to your favorite restaurants and other places.

All the libraries are open in the summer, with varying hours. By the middle of spring semester, the summer hours for the libraries will be posted on the Cornell Library website (library.cornell.edu).

Which dining halls will be open and their summer hours will not be decided until the spring 2011 semester, according to the Office of Residential & Event Services.

Suzanne Connolly reports that all the fitness centers will have summer hours on weekdays, except Friedman Fitness Center in Appel Commons, which will be closed for the summer. The only fitness center open on summer weekends will be Helen Newman. The formal posting of 2011 summer hours will be in May on the Cornell Fitness Center website (fitness.cornell.edu). Cornell Fitness Center summer hours will be in effect May 31–August 21, 2011. (Noyes Fitness Center will be closed from May 27–June 8, with regular summer hours beginning June 9.) All facilities are closed for Commencement and Memorial Day (Saturday, May 28 through Monday, May 30). All facilities are closed July 2 through July 4. 

As for finding work over the summer, jobs at Cornell and in Tompkins County are listed through uPortal (uportal.cornell.edu) on Student Services/Student Jobs & Internships.

Here’s advice from the Office of Financial Aid and Student Employment:

Keep checking the job listings daily, as it is updated as new postings come in. Other tips to find a job:

- Network

                - Ask other students where they work and who to contact.

- Speak with faculty and Teaching Assistants (TAs)

                - Many faculty hire students from their classes and never advertise their jobs.

                - The TAs for the classes may know of job openings—ask them for help.

                - Don’t be shy—you've got nothing to lose and a lot to gain.

- Apply directly to departments of interest

                - Use the on-line Cornell directory to identify department addresses.

                - A personal visit to the departments may improve your job chances.

- Bulletin boards and doors

- Jobs are frequently advertised the old-fashioned way—a paper notice stuck on a bulletin board or an office door. Check the hallways when you go to class.

- Newspapers

                - The Cornell Daily Sun is free, available in multiple campus locations, and often has job ads sprinkled throughout the paper.

                - The Ithaca Journal also has help-wanted ads for jobs in the local area.

Uncle Ezra   

Thanks!

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Driven Crazy,

I guess this is a little late for this year, but it will be helpful for those of you who are looking for short term parking in the future.

Your uncle contacted Transportation Services to find out your options. Helen Steh, Manager of Transportation Programs, replies:

“Yes we do offer individuals short term parking. The weekly fee for a student permit is $40. We have added this additional information to our website. Thanks for providing us feedback on our website.”

Parking certainly is complicated on campus.  And sorry again for taking so long to find this answer.

Uncle Ezra   

Dear Alum,

Thanks for your perspective.  It is indeed important to appreciate what you do have, as you keep your dreams in mind.

Uncle Ezra