Welcome!!!

Hello all… welcome to our blog! My name is Mike Zappone and I am a Fourth Year in the PharmD. Program at ACHPS. I am from Loudonville, NY which is just outside of Albany. I went to La Salle Institute in Troy, NY for high school. It is a small military school but I really enjoyed it there. Despite being so close to ACPHS, I decided to live on campus my first three years and absolutely loved it. Right now, I am living off campus in an apartment right down the road from the school. That is awesome too.

This past week has been very busy for everyone on campus with finals coming up. It is important to take study breaks (which is exactly what I am doing right nowJ). My tests this week aren’t too bad and are definitely doable. Right now I am sitting in the Student Center Cafeteria waiting for “Late Night Breakfast” to start. During the week of finals, our Student Services department puts on a Snack Attack Week. With this, we have different foods each night of the week so students can take breaks from studying. This is also good for those students who don’t have a lot of money left on their meal card. The week before we have “Stress Relief Week”, also put on by Student Services. That includes massages, chocolate fondue, and events off campus. For example, last week Wicked played at Proctor’s Theatre and students were able to get tickets pretty cheap.

I like Albany a lot, especially since I am from here. It is nice that I can go home whenever I want too. My mom loves when I bring my laundry home every week! (sarcasm at its best) There is a lot to do around here too! If anyone from the Albany area just picks up the Metroland (a local newspaper) you can see that a lot of events take place right around ACPHS. Right around the corner is Lark Street which has great bars and places to eat. There are also the Times Union Center and the Palace Theatre that hold many musical venues. I actually saw my favorite band the Goo Goo Dolls at the Palace a few years ago. Although there is a lot to do off campus, there is plenty to on as well. There are many clubs and organizations at ACPHS. The clubs range from the Outdoors Club to the Multicultural Club with many in between. I am involved in many clubs and serve in leadership positions on campus. I am currently the President of Phi Lambda Sigma Pharmacy Leadership Society, Worthy Vice Counselor of Phi Delta Chi Pharmacy Fraternity, Secretary for the American Pharmacists Association- Academy of Student Pharmacists, and am the Treasurer/Secretary for my class in the Student Government Association. Getting involved in school activities is great for me because it allows me to take a break for studying. It is also beneficial because it allows me to build my C.V. A C.V. is a resume that students use to apply to residency programs. I hope to get accepted to a residency program in Psychiatry. With that, I would like to eventually be a clinical pharmacist and possibly teach the Psych portion of the modules in school.

Since I took an extra long study break, I better get back to studying some Pharmacokinetics. I hope everyone has a great holiday!!

-Mike