Champlain College: Mollie Coons

Missing Persons Notification

2008-04-04T05:44:38Z

I have been off line, off the grid! actually I've just been insanely busy with school and all its wonderful keep-you-busy tendencies. Which reminds me of all the campus activities I've been involved with, like, THE GRIND. <----which is awesome Champlain has a TON of cool stuff going on all the time. Problem is, you've gotta look for it because there's so much going on it's hard to get details out to students. The Stall Street journal, ( a list of activities they put in bathroom stalls is always a good place to begin) . One cool this is Champlain's own open mic coffee house, the Grind, every Wednesday night which I run the sound for. It's a real sweet gig! The Grind is a SAFE space where budding guitarists can test out new songs, where poets can come to be known and where musicians can get up and jam out. So, prospective students, don't leave that trumpet at home! There is a place to network with other musicians and artists here at Champlain! Oh, and did I mention the FREE coffee and snacks! (i <3 the grind) Check it out on facebook! http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2221411863 It's sweet. For new Graphic Design students, I HIGHLY suggest learning some ILLUSTRATOR, (adobe's other sweetheart) in addition to Photoshop before entering the major! Here's a cool place to start. http://www.ndesign-studio.com/resources/tutorials/ Any questions, feel free to ask! Peace! MC

Computers, computers, computers...

2008-02-06T22:01:28Z

I am considering a major in graphic design. I was just wondering if a good knowledge of computers is essential. (Thanks Ali!!) Technology is a wonderful thing. I would say one would need basic computer operational skills coming into the design major here. You'll learn about and how to use the design programs in the classes you take! Graphic Design is a computer heavy major, but not in a hardware, know how to take it apart, kind of way. Be prepared to spend lots of time in front of a screen! If you are worried, download the trial versions of the adobe programs and do a few tutorials to get a feel!! All you need is accurate control over a mouse and you'll be fine ^_^ Let me know if you'd like me to post some tutorials in any of the adobe software ^_^ Peace MC

Cameras + Photographs

2008-02-06T21:05:54Z

I love cameras. I love cameras even more when they work. I ordered a Nikon D 40, which, was sent to me, BROKEN....which I had to send back. Oh I know, lets disconnect the flash INTERNALLY! So, calling back and forth for a few days lead me to a customer support representative who obviously disliked his job to the point where he was talking to me about how much working at B+H blew. I was like, dude, I just want a shipping label so I can get my camera back...."and today there was this guy..." SHIPPING LABEL! He FINALLY sends me a shipping label, or tells me he's going to send me a shipping label. The label shows up in my inbox JUST in time to leave for Christmas vacation, literally as I'm leaving the label pops up. I now have 5 days to figure out how I'm going to ship back to B&H...I will never buy camera equipment from them again. So yeah, the lack of photographs is due to a lack of camera. >_< Here's a panorama of my room in Main Street Suites. Peace MC

Un Question!

2008-01-28T01:22:33Z

Hiya. I'm a prospective student thinking about coming here to major in graphic design. I was wondering; how are the classes and teachers? Do you think they're the same caliber as a hardcore art school? Thanks! Champlain is nothing like a hardcore art school, at all! Which could possibly be a good or bad thing. The program is run like a business program, with a concentration in practical art. There are photography, drawing and illustration classes as well as a new conceptual art class that I JUST heard about. I'm not 100% sure of the details on this, but I know a few kids who took classes up at UVM this past semester. I'm sure you would be able to work something out if you wanted to take some serious art classes! The teachers are amazing. I have to say : I have met quite a few graphic design teachers that have changed my life. I know it's corny and corny, but Eric Sample, David Lustgarten ( the director of the program) and Karen Klove (who has her own digital film program now) are all AMAZING professors that teach in the graphic design program. Also, in other classes, such as, CORE, and general electives, there are quite a few amazing professors. BUT Like everything, there are two sides. I've been lucky and I have had more amazing professors than dud professors, but the duds are there. Classes, well, graphic design classes are epically fun. I'm taking a few design courses this semester which I love, one is a flash course called experience design, which ROCKS. The teacher is really cool: we get to essentially write our own syllabus and learn what we want to learn, which is appealing to me, but it's also a level 300 course ^_^ Well, I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions ^_^ Peace! Mollie

What an interesting arrangement

2008-01-26T21:02:41Z

All right. One thing that I find SUPER annoying about dorm rooms is as follows : When you walk into a dorm room, because they're in houses and are all different shapes and sizes with many a nook and cranny, it appears there is only one or two ways to set up the furniture. 1) The way it was when you got there and 2) the desk can go on that wall only a few inches from where it used to me. WRONG! Think people! I should start taking pictures of the way my room is arranged to give ya'll ideas, but I always forget >< The other thing I find annoying as sin is that I always find that the arrangement I like the best is arrived at three months or less before school gets out and I have to more somewhere else. You get that creative zen thing goin' on and then all of a sudden...oh hey, I'm in a new place! Time to start re-arranging. The process then goes on Peace Mollie

My House, might be your house someday

2008-01-26T20:54:16Z

Dorms. They're fun, they're all dorm-like with an essence of, someone lived here before me, which not only adds to their character but enriches the vibe of the building. I live in Main Street Suites which is one of the newer dorms Champlain has, but not the newest! Funny fact about MSS, it won a design award! How cool is that! I'm a designer living in a design like place of awesomeness. Two thing that bug me, and I'm not sure how this dorm did win that competition, the windows don't open, and there aren't any straight lines in this entire building. I have no idea what happened, but none, architecturally speaking, of the walls, elevator, baseboards, etc. are straight. It's pretty crazy! Two things that I am in love with are : They didn't paint every single wall white!! Yay! That always drove me up a wall with the other dorms...the whitewashed walls, ceilings, ceiling tiles...you name it, it was white. They got fancy and painted one or two walls in the suites purple....a good shade of purple too. Like anything dorms have their loves and their hates. With Champlain's housing, I've found the character of the house, yes, it is a legit, straight up house, (or used to be) over-ride the leaky sinks or the laundry machines being in the BASEMENT! It's a guaranteed work-out. Uber plus! Peace! Mollie

Christmas Vacation

2008-01-04T15:52:51Z

One thing about college that always kicks me is that, when I left home, then went back home to visit, EVERYTHING is different. Change happens so quickly in college, everything is at a constant move and I find I see change the most when I go home for vacations. I find it harder to mesh back into a family dynamic, because I've changed, my family changed and even my pets got older. It's hard to find that right balance of being fake enough to fit in yet, real enough so you can show people how far you've come along in adulthood. It ain't easy! Even the coffee tastes different! I think I need to do an entire post about coffee Let me know what you want, and I'll try to give you dudes answers! MC

Exam Week

2007-12-15T16:23:40Z

lo' Exam week. Always stressful. It's the week when everything bad seems to congeal into one great big ball of crap. My best advice to any first time exam weekers....do EVERYTHING else the week before. Not that it matters because some dingbat thought it would be a great idea to bump exams to the WEEKEND! One cool thing about exam week...end is it's a great excuse to wear pajamas everywhere, slack off in all other aspects of life and watch movies on your "abundance" of spare time. I've been trying to get through Eragon for, I think, two weeks? So far the movie is good! I really want to read the books now, I've heard good things about those too. What are other good fictional books? On the note of movies...I've discovered a whole new respect for TV. This semester has had me on my knees begging for mercy. SO much work. When there is me time my brain just goes on auto pilot and it's mad hard to just relax. I've found that Television alleviates the brain pain and completely numbs the mind. For years I've had this montage of, Oh TV makes you stupid, don't watch the dumb-box..stuff like that. But now that my mind is in overdrive CONSTANTLY I find MTV somewhat enjoyable on the sole basis that it turns my brain off. It's also fun to watch spoiled people be their rotten selves. I guess the moral of this post....you don't have to substance-numb your brain. Watch T.V.!!! ^_^ MC ps I thought this was funny

FIRST SKI DAY!

2007-11-26T04:51:37Z

*excitement* Today marks the monumental event of the first day of the ski season. ^_^ VT has some rockin' skiing. We've got : lets see : Stowe, Bolton, Smugglers Notch, Sugarbush, Mad River Glenn (for skiers only), Jay Peak, and Killington. ALL of which are great! oh yeah, and Champlain Students get 30$ ski passes to Bolton Valley which includes all of the facilities at the mountain. Sauna, pool, gym and all the lifts. How awesome is that?! It's important to have some vent for the stress of school. Skiing provides that for me, and for a lot of other kids. It's the best feeling in the world to step off that lift and slide down into snow and trees and rocks and ice. mmmm winter. Questions about skiing? I grew up here, and know about Smugglers Notch, Bolton and a little about Stowe. SKI THE EAST!

Playing with Pictures

2007-11-14T16:44:34Z

THIS IS A TEST (kinda, but not really)

2007-11-14T16:15:53Z

OK! This is up and running, and I'm wicked excited. I'm rocking out to the Beatles "come together" when I got this e-mail : It's a sign. It's come together!! (we should too^_^) A little snipit about me .:. I'm a designer, I'm obsessed with design and LOVE learning new things about Adobe programs. I'd like part of the commentary of this blog to morph into a, 'tips and tricks' for those of us who <3 Adobe as well as a question and answer forum. If you know about a sweet tutorial, POST IT! <-- in the comment section I really like answering questions, questions about anything. Don't ever be afraid to ask me any kind of question. My parents raised me on, "no question is a stupid question" and I believe that! Throw your doubt out the window and ask! Music is AWESOME. Games are AWESOME. and...perspective students are AWESOME! It all goes back to questions. haha. The whole College application process can be extraordinarily daunting; remember, I was in your shoes once. Well, not exactally in your shoes, but I do understand how foreign College can be. Let me know what you're thinking! (needs a catch line) ^_^ .:. MC