With the end of the semester approaching fast, many seniors are waiting for the day in May when they get to walk across the stage and receive their diploma. Senior nutrition major Eric Troiano is one of the students in the graduating class of 2019 who anticipates graduation day.
Originally from Long Island, Troiano visited Plattsburgh State last in his college search but knew once on a tour of the campus that PSUC was the place for him.
“When I did my tour, classes were happening. Everything was in session and I remember the weather started warming up,” Troiano said. “Now I understand once the weather starts warming up spring semester everyone’s out and having fun and talking with each other, so people saw my tour and they were like ‘Oh come to Plattsburgh.’ It was just a really warm, friendly environment. I was like, ‘This is really cool,’ so that’s kind of what swayed me to go.”
Troiano currently holds a position working as a Resident Assistant in Kent Hall on campus.
Being an RA is one of the most unique jobs he’s worked because it’s an all-the-time job, even when he’s not officially on duty, he needs to be available.
He describes how it is important to find the balance between always being there for his residents but also finding time for himself to do the things that he loves to do.
Troiano is a self-taught drummer who has been playing for about five years.
He currently takes lessons on campus with Gabe Jarrett who is a professional musician and a drum set instructor.
Friend and fellow drummer, junior Anthony Bubbico shares some of his thoughts about Troiano.
“He’s a great drummer, he’s a great cook and he’s just a great guy,” Bubbico said. “Really one of the best people I’ve ever met and an incredible young man. He’s got a bright future ahead of him.”
On top of drumming, Troiano also enjoys hanging out with friends, going on walks, listening to music and hiking in the Adirondack mountains.
“My favorite thing about Plattsburgh is how close it is to the Adirondacks because I absolutely love hiking,” Troiano said. “Long Island is completely flat: there’s no mountains, there’s beaches. I like beaches, but I’m not a huge beach person so the mountains, when I first went hiking in the Adirondacks, were absolutely beautiful.”
While at PSUC Troiano was able to forget about high school and start fresh with the rewarding experience of making lifelong friends on campus.
Troiano reflects on how one of the best things about college was being able to come out of his shell and realizing that there are other people who will be receptive of that, which helped form friendships.
Many of Troiano’s friends also agree that meeting Troiano was also extremely memorable to them as well.
Senior English language arts major and Troiano’s friend Meghan O’Toole teared up when speaking about what her friendship with Troiano meant to her.
“We had dinner at Clinton the other night, and it seems like such a mundane kind of thing just to like have dinner with a friend, but we talked about deep things. Just sitting at a booth in Clinton for like two hours, and you know we were joking about how we could sneak in a second meal and like those kinds of things. But then we were talking about family and fears and that deep kind of stuff that you don’t really get to talk about every day,” O’Toole said.
“I kind of just realized at that moment, I had this epiphany that Eric, you know no matter where we both end up we’re always going to be in each other’s lives. And realizing that and realizing that I made a lifelong friend, was just so great to me because he’s such an incredible person and I feel incredibly humble to have him in my life.”
After graduation Troiano would like to take a year off to work, take time to himself and to figure out where he wants to go to graduate school, for a two-year program in Public Health.
“Definitely focus on your academics, but there are going to be times there are experiences with clubs or with your friends and stuff like that, definitely say yes to those things,” Troiano said. “Take advantage of it, because this is the only time in your life where you can have that nice balance of work and play.”
Email Aja Landolfi at cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
