One Week Down...

...and fifteen to go!

I can't believe I've already been back to school for a whole week! It's been a whirlwind week of catching up with friends, getting a solid start on schoolwork, and changing my major (more on that soon!).

I've really enjoyed my classes so far. I ended up switching one of them, Digital Media: Art, Culture, Theory to the Fiction Writing Workshop. I never even went to a Digital Media class, so I can't comment on how it was, but I've heard great things. The Fiction Writing is more in line with my new major, so I decided to take it this semester! So now my schedule is:

Mon/Wed
8:00-9:35 Intro to Philosophy

Tues/Thurs
9:45-11:20 Aftermaths
11:30-1:05 Acting Techniques

Thurs
1:15-4:35 Fiction Writing Workshop

Yes, that does mean I have Fridays off still! Lucky me!

Here are my initial thoughts on my classes:

Philosophy
I feel really bad saying this, but I do not like Philosophy. Not the class- just the subject. I hate arguing and  I feel like there's never really an answer. But Jim, my professor, seems to know how to break it down really well. We've only done two reading so far, but I've gone into class not really understanding what we read and leaving with a much clearer sense of what I just learned. It's at 8am, but it's a really discussion based class so, so far, I have yet to have a problem staying awake. I think it will be a good class for me because it takes me out of my comfort zone.

Aftermaths
I really enjoy this class so far. It's an English class about the aftermaths of 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the Recession. So far, we've read some articles following 9/11 from publications like The New Yorker and The Onion. My professor seems really passionate about the class, and has lead some great discussions about 9/11.

Acting Techniques
This class is a lot of fun. It gets us up off our feet in the middle of the day, which I am really grateful for. Also, I have this class with my friend Colleen! This class is going to be mainly focused on scene work, so I think it will teach me a lot as an actor. I just finished reading the first play that we are going to be using, Dinner with Friends. It was a great read and I can't wait until Tuesday when I can start my work on it!

Fiction Writing Workshop
This class is with Liz, who taught my First Year Seminar last semester. I really enjoyed writing in her class and thought it would be a fun class in a possible minor. I was a little intimidated being the only First Year in the class, but it didn't even really matter once I got there. The class only meets once a week so it's going to take time management to get all the work done, but I am really looking forward to improving my skills as a writer!

Overall, I'm really happy with my classes and think it's going to be an awesome semester.

Lastly, let me show you some pictures from the first week back:

SNOW!!!!! On the walk from Joyce to Alliot.

First week back means a trip to City Market to stock up on dorm room essentials, like cheese!

The lovely spread that Alex came up with for the VITA social!!

Snow on the campus! As seen from the Farrell Room, St. Ed's.

Well, that's my first week! Hope everyone had a great week themselves :)

New Semester Eve Resoluions

Hello! I am back on campus after a (very) early bus! It's cold in Vermont, and there's some snow on the ground, but lots of brown and green patches. Not quite as scary cold as I had been expecting (for now)!

Classes begin tomorrow morning, so I spent the afternoon unpacking, cleaning my room, and getting ready! I am excited for my classes this semester, so I am excited to get into them. But, for now, I wanted to put out a few resolutions I have for the next sixteen weeks:

1. Get better grades. My grades last semester were not bad by any means, but there is always room for improvement! Now that I have the rhythm of college down, hopefully I will be able to score higher grades.

2. Spend less money on things I don't need to. Last semester, I found my self stopping in Cafe Cheray (a little cafe in the academic quad) to get tea or hot cocoa on the cold mornings when I was sleepy. This was a totally silly expense, when I can either make it in my room or take my mug to Alliot and fill it. I have brought back lots of hot cocoa mix and bought a new kettle, so hopefully I can make it instead.

3. Receive less spam mail. Okay, so this one is not really tied in with my life at school, but I think it's a good one. I get a lot of junk mail- companies I gave my email to once send me mail every week (Bed, Bath, and Beyond, I'm looking at you!). It's so easy to do this, you just have to hit unsubscribe at the bottom of each email.

Anyways, those are my resolutions! Hopefully, I can achieve them! Hope that everyone has a wonderful week. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me!

Hometown Connections

Happy Wednesday!

I am enjoying the last few days of my break, but also gearing up to get ready to head up to St. Michael's on Sunday morning! I am excited to get back to my friends, my dorm, and get into my new schedule of classes.

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to get to go back to my high school. They had an Alumnae College Fair and I got to go and represent St. Michael's with our Hometown Connections program. It was awesome to get to speak about my experience at school. Along with about 10 other Alums, I spoke about how to choose a college, a major, and what activities I am involved with. I think it was a really helpful event for all the sophomores and juniors I spoke to!

My table at the Alumnae College Fair

Anyways, hope everyone is having a great week! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me!

First Semester: In Review

Hello, blog world! I apologize for neglecting you a bit over the past few weeks. I've spent my time working on finals, being really sick for finals (strep throat), coming home, and having some time to unwind and spend with my family. The end of the semester can be a really stressful time, so I am grateful to have a month off to unwind and recharge my batteries before heading back to campus for Spring semester!

But I thought I would spend some time summing up my first semester.

AUGUST

My VERY FIRST DAY- I only look calm!

Move-In Day... things were everywhere!

Mom and I after unpacking everything!

 August was the month of move in and Orientation. I had my very first college classes, and spent a lot of time hanging out with the people that live on my floor.


SEPTEMBER 

First Year Apple Picking!

My aunt came to visit! Class of 1996.

Colleen's first trip to Panera

September was when I experienced most of my homesickness. But, I got over it as I got more involved in school. I joined most of the clubs I am involved with, through club fairs and the millions of emails everyone sends out. My aunt came and visited me for Alumni weekend, and it was really nice to walk around campus and see what has changed since she's been there. I also became friends with the people I am still friends with in September.


 OCTOBER

My little sister slept over!

My stepfather and little sister play checkers in the Word Garden

Me, Colleen, and Ashley at the Drama Club Haunted House

October was a busy month! My family came up and visited me and I got to see them for the first time since August. My little sister and my stepfather had never seen campus, so I showed them around. My little sister got to sleep over, and it was awesome getting her to see what my college life is like. At the end of the month, I experienced my first Halloweekend at SMC! It's a big deal, there's a lot going on and it's a lot of fun to dress up with your friends.

NOVEMBER 

Erica, Collen, and I at the Quidditch Cup!

Katie, JLo, and Erica at Thanksgiving Dinner

My Thanksgiving Dinner

The biggest event in November, by far, is Thanksgiving Dinner. Upperclassmen talked about it for weeks, which in turn made everyone excited. And it was really nice to get to enjoy a meal with my friends. Also, in November, I went on a LEAP retreat. Through LEAP, I had a great experience and met a lot of people I wouldn't have otherwise.

DECEMBER



December was a short month, comprised mostly of finals, studying for finals, and in my case, being sick. However, I made my debut on the St. Mike's Stage! For their final, the Directing class has to direct one scene. I auditioned and was cast in Almost, Maine. I had a great time working with Dom, my scene partner, and Craig, our director. Here's the video!


Overall, I had a great first semester. I learned a lot, both inside and outside the classroom. I made friends that I hope I will have for a lifetime. Thanks for following along, I can't wait to see what second semester brings!

Christmas on Campus!!!

The exams are done, the papers have been written, my stuff' has been packed up, and I'm writing this blog post from the comfort of my (at home) bed! I'm still waiting on some grades, so I will wait to declare the semester a success.

But I thought I would take this time to show you how festive campus got before we left. You know it's Christmas time on campus when...

The tree is up in Alliot!

You make Gingerbread houses at Dessert and the Divine!

There are lights on the trees in front of the library!

Your professor brings Christmas cookies and cider to class!

Happy Holidays, everyone! Enjoy your break :)

Media Studies, Journalism, Digital Arts: A First Year's Perspective

Hello everyone! Guess what? I have officially survived my first semester of classes at Saint Michael's! I still have three finals to take and one to write before I head home to Massachusetts, but classes are over! Yipee!

So I thought I would take a few minutes to talk about my major. I started out this year as a Psychology major, but decided to change in late September. I had an absolutely amazing Psychology class this semester with Professor Adams, and I learned a lot. One of the things I learned was that I did not want to be a Psych major anymore! One of the benefits of the liberal arts curriculum is that we're able to take classes in lots of different areas, and I am glad I got to take my Psych class.

Luckily, I knew exactly where I belonged: Media Studies, Journalism, Digital Arts (aka MJD). I took one MJD class this semester: Media Revolutions, which is the first class you take in the major. Media Revolutions has been a great class. I took it with Professor Griffiths, who has a lot of experience in journalism as she has worked for The Associated Press (Want to learn more about her? Check out her page on the SMC website!). She ran the class in a discussion style, which I really enjoyed. Every week, we tackled a different chapter on some form of media... from newspapers to radio to the internet! It's really important to examine all of the forms of media we consume, especially if we want to work in the media.

Next semester, I will be taking another MJD course, Digital Media: Art, Culture, and Theory. It's about using programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Dreamweaver and the digital revolution. I am really excited about learning the programs.

When I tell people that I am an MJD major, they usually ask me what newspaper or magazine I want to write for, but to be honest, I do not know exactly what I want to do yet- and that's completely okay! MJD is a really broad major because it prepares you for so many things. Some MJD majors I know are interested in public relations, social media marketing, journalism, photojournalism, and making documentaries. These all fall under the umbrella of MJD!

A few weeks ago, I met with someone in the Career Counseling Office to talk about the chance of getting an internship over the summer. While the "big" internships for major news stations are usually reserved for upperclassmen, I will be looking to get some experience this summer at the weekly, local newspapers near my house.

If you would like to read more about the MJD major from someone with a little more experience, check out a sophomore's perspective on Juliana's blog or a senior's perspective on Gabbi's blog!

And if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me!

A Very, Very Busy Week!

I can't believe it's the last week of the semester! I've almost completed my first semester at St. Mike's!

*cue freak out*

Just kidding. This semester has flown by, and I have a million things to do before I go home (a week from tomorrow!) but I'm not quite freaking out. Here is what is separating me from a complete semester:

-1 Psychology paper (~4 pages)
-1 Psychology quiz
-2 Psychology worksheets
-1 Christianity quiz
-my final paper for The Examined Life (~18 pages, second draft completed)
-my self evaluation paper for The Examined Life (~4 pages, first draft completed)
-1 Psychology exam
-1 Media Revolutions exam
-1 Christianity exam

So as you might see, I've got my work cut out for me over the next week! But look for upcoming blogposts about Christmas on Campus and a trip to Knights at the Round Table! Have a great week!