Tommy Sapienza

So I admit, I gave in. After repeatedly hearing about Twitter from pretty much everywhere I have given in and conformed. To be honest, it is not bad. It is quite fascinating actually. Being on Twitter for just two days now I have learned a lot.

Currently I am following CNN Reporter, Anderson Cooper’s Twitter. He posts a lot of different news articles and blogs throughout the day. For instance, did you know Nadya Suleman otherwise known as “Octomom” is currently trying to trademark the nickname? Yes, she wants to come out with a line of baby diapers using the name “Octomom.” If I had kids, I’d still purchase Huggies instead. Ha-ha. On Twitter, you get up-to-date news notices as soon as they come in! 

Another person that I follow is Shepard Fairey. For those who do not know Shepard Fairey is a contemporary artist and graphic designer who best known for his work during the 2008 United States Presidential Election. Fairey designed the “HOPE” poster for President Barack Obama. He has launched sticker campaigns with his first design featured professional wrestler, Andre the Giant (R.I.P.) entitled“Andre the Giant has a posse”. This later evolved into the OBEY Giant. The “Obey” campaign was based off of John Carpenter’s movie “They Live”, which starred another professional wrestler, Roddy Piper, taking a few of its slogans including the “Obey” slogan. Recently Fairey has been in the news due to some of his Obey Giants were “tagged” around Boston.  Needless to say Boston officials weren’t too happy.

The reason I wrote this is because sticker graffiti and graffiti in general fascinates me from an artistic and political standpoint. I was able to witness Fairey’s work when I was working the Boston NACAC National College Fair. Each time I left the convention center, I was able to see an oversized OBEY Giant posted atop of the high-rise building in Boston which was very cool in my opinion.  Twitter is an outlet for free speech in a way, which is very cool.

So after reading this blog, I’ll ask you once again. Do you tweet?

Thirteen days ago, our blog readers had the opportunity to hear about Director Phillips’ “relaxing” weekend dog-sitting. The week, I’ll explain how my weekend was from the road. It all began on Wednesday evening in Maplewood, New Jersey. I was covering a college fair at Columbia High School which went well. After the college fair, I had dinner with fellow UNH Admissions Counselors Kat and Gil. Both of them were covering a college fair in Northern New Jersey as well. We reviewed a few files and watched Lost. A show that I normally do not watch and when it was over, I was the one feeling lost.

Shortly after, I embarked on my trip to Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania which was about a two hour drive. At this point of the blog, I will go over the dos and don’ts of traveling.

• DO: Make reservations in advance.
• DON’T: Reserve a room for the wrong dates.
• DO: Pack accordingly.
• DON’T: Forget to pack a jacket when the temperature is in the low 50s.
• DO: Get back up directions.
• DON’T: Rely on GPS systems because satellites can be wrong or lose signal.

Now I think you can guess what I did this weekend. The reservations I had been for the incorrect date. I forgot to pack a jacket because I figured it would be warmer in Maryland and Virginia. I was wrong. A GPS system doesn’t get signal while you’re driving through a tunnel and takes a while to reconnect with the satellite so you don’t know what direction to go.

There is a good side to this blog though. Before my college fair in Virginia, there was a card collectible show held at the same convention center where several Pittsburgh Steelers team members where in attendance. I got to meet Darnell Stapleton and “Mean” Joe Green. So really you have to take the good with the bad, even when the bad comes first.

It has been quite a while since I posted on this blog and I am truly sorry about that. Since fall travel ended and spring travel began; things have been traveling at Mach 1 speeds for this admissions counselor. Over the winter break, I undertook the task of being the travel coordinator for the Undergraduate Admissions office. Now you must wonder what exactly a travel coordinator does. I’ll let you know.

I coordinate travel.

Sorry I thought would be funny to write but really I am the person in charge of organizing all the college fairs that our amazing staff attends. It’s like being a dispatcher. This has been my first travel season as coordinator and I think it has gone smoothly so far. The only downside that I have found is that I know everyone else’s travel schedule but can’t remember my schedule for the life of me. Thanks to the person that created the Day Planner, otherwise, I’d be lost.

Another task I have taken on is serving as Athletic Liaison for Athletics with fellow admissions counselor, Jason Riendeau.  I am in charge of reviewing files for the following athletic programs:

• Football
• Cross Country (Men’s/Women’s)
• Women’s Soccer
• Women’s Basketball
• Track & Field (Men’s/Women’s)
• Women’s Volleyball
• Men’s Volleyball

So far I have been enjoying working with all the Athletic coaches and look forward to a successful class of recruits coming in. Well I’m off for now, look forward to my future blogs, I have some great stories from the road to tell all the readers.