A Small Community

Just to show how unpredictable the weather is here in Syracuse, temperatures went up drastically from 14 to 28C in just a day! Normally, 28C is a comfortable temperature for someone like me who got accustomed to the scorching concrete paradise that is Singapore. I realized how 2 days of cold weather can easily acclimatize even the most seemingly unyielding tropical species. I decided not to bring my jacket this morning so that I can train myself for autumn and winter. Surprisingly, however, I found the mid day to be uncomfortably hot. But anyway, today was considered one of the most precious "sunny" days according to Syracusans. And indeed it was a perfect time for the incoming ESF freshies to bask under the sun. Below is a photo I took on the way to ESF's Marshall Hall. It was not just the extraordinarily hotter weather that caught my attention, but also what appears to be a very modest number of incoming freshies this year.


I'm writing this entry not just because of the unusual weather in Syracuse. It's also about how small the ESF community really is, and how this works out, for me, to be one of institution's best assets.

Yesterday all the incoming grad students of the environmental studies department (I'm not actually from this major, but my academic supervisor happens to be the department chair) were invited to a bbq picnic in Thornden Park. All the senior grad students, staff and professors came ... including the college provost! It didn't feel awkward at all, considering that the place was half packed with academic authorities. I was particularly impressed with the level of welcome we received from the professors and staff. In short, even though they naturally exude this aurora of respect, they were all simply nice.


It was fun meeting new friends and conversing just about anything under the sun ... and with the right balance of academic wit, of course. Well, there were even introductions that reveal just how natural the acquaintances were. This was one particular conversation that made it on the top of the list:

Professor: Hi there! Where do you come from?
Indian Student: Bangalore in India.
Professor: Yeah! Great! India! High five!

Professor: How 'bout you? Where do you come from?
American Student: Very very far. Syracuse.
Professor: Where were you born?
American Student: Crouse Hospital
Professor: I was also born there! High five!

Professor: And you?
Filipino Student: The opposite side of the globe, Philippines
Professor: Yeah! Great! There are no typhoons here, but lots of snow! High Five!

Professor: Could you pass me that? I want a cookie!
Filipino Student: ?

Anyway, the picnic ended pretty well. Apart from the excellent food catered by Dinosaur BBQ (raved to be the best in the nation), I also had a nice chat with my academic supervisor and made a new friend (the native syracuse student) who happens to live just a few houses away from me. We walked back home together, met and chatted with his police officer friend, talked about Syracuse in more detail, intersected with another prof who was walking back home as well, and chatted more about Syracuse along the way.

I spent most of my life living in big cities and studying in big schools. Living and studying in a small community, such as Syracuse, is definitely a new experience I am very glad to have and share :)