My African Drumming class hosted a Haitian drumming and dance instructor, and our campus online newspaper did a great story about it...enjoy it here!
I only appear once in the video, and I look quite embarrassed! Despite my facial expression in the picture, I had a blast! I'll fill you in on our final concert (which happens this Friday) soon.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
crunch time
One thing I love about Saint Mike's is how much everyone comes together during the stressful times. I feel like almost everyone here is really empathetic towards others when they have a ton of work, and when it comes down to the end of the semester, everyone has tons of work so everyone just comes together to buckle down and get it done.
My roommate and I just walked over to the library around 9:30PM (75 degrees here, and the trip across campus was a welcome break from out hot rooms...) and saw groups of people sitting out on the lawn with their computers, all getting work done together. While we were in the library, tons of groups of people were sitting together, helping each other with projects or just working individually but wanting to be surrounded by friends. Now that I'm back in my room, I can hear my next door neighbors just hanging out outside, chatting with passersby, reading and discussing their days.
This is one of my favorite parts of SMC - people here genuinely like one another and have each other's best interest at heart!
My roommate and I just walked over to the library around 9:30PM (75 degrees here, and the trip across campus was a welcome break from out hot rooms...) and saw groups of people sitting out on the lawn with their computers, all getting work done together. While we were in the library, tons of groups of people were sitting together, helping each other with projects or just working individually but wanting to be surrounded by friends. Now that I'm back in my room, I can hear my next door neighbors just hanging out outside, chatting with passersby, reading and discussing their days.
This is one of my favorite parts of SMC - people here genuinely like one another and have each other's best interest at heart!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
P-Day!!
Today was SMC's big spring celebration - P-Day (which stands for "Preparation Day) has a lot of history at St. Mike's, going back many years. The day started off with the trike race (which pits student teams against one another to ride around the Alliot circle on crazy tricycles) and then progressed to the afternoon activities of inflatables (like jousting, slip-n-slide, bouncy house, bungee run, obstacle course) and free food from a variety of SMC's favorite Burlington restaurants. I enjoyed a Nutella crepe from Skinny Pancake, a falafel pita from Ali Baba's Kebab shop and some of my favorite peanut noodle salad from PK Cafe. There is a comedian performing in the sports center tonight followed by a late night breakfast in Alliot (the dining hall). The event is filled with crazy traditions (like groups of friends making puff paint shirts or jerseys) and I'm sad that this is my last one!
My friend and fellow Essex High School '05 grad Sarah ambushed me in the food tent - she was soaking wet from the slip-n-slid, but we still snapped this picture! Notice the girl on the right in the tank top and shorts; that's another friend named Sarah...she and I travel down to EatingWell magazine together to do our internships. To complicate this photo even more, the person taking it is another close friend, also named Sarah!
My sister and I racing in the obstacle course...she kicked my butt AND I tripped and fell off the end...oh well!
The weather was absolutely perfect...sunny and 80 degrees with a nice breeze - I expect that there will be quite a few sunburns in class on Monday!! Hope you're having a great weekend!
My friend and fellow Essex High School '05 grad Sarah ambushed me in the food tent - she was soaking wet from the slip-n-slid, but we still snapped this picture! Notice the girl on the right in the tank top and shorts; that's another friend named Sarah...she and I travel down to EatingWell magazine together to do our internships. To complicate this photo even more, the person taking it is another close friend, also named Sarah!
My sister and I racing in the obstacle course...she kicked my butt AND I tripped and fell off the end...oh well!Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Great Day in VT
Today was Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day. I know that this happens at most scoop shops, but it's practically a state holiday here! EVERYONE goes and gets their cone (or in my case, two - one with my mom after lunch and one with my roommates after dinner - but I know you won't tell) and it's all that everyone can talk about! I mean, who doesn't love free Ben & Jerry's ice cream??
Just another reason that I love Vermont and its local products!!
Just another reason that I love Vermont and its local products!!
Monday, April 20, 2009
It's starting to come together....
If you've been reading my blog for a while, you know that I have a lot of apprehension surrounding the big event on May 14th. Not so much graduation or leaving St. Mike's (I feel ready), but what comes after it - I hear it's called the real world. I've been searching for jobs and submitting applications like a madwoman, and am definitely feeling the weak economy - I've only gotten a few calls on the 15ish jobs I've applied for thus far.
HOWEVER - I have fantastic news! I was offered a summer position at a summer camp as a division head (member of senior staff that supervises a division of the camp). I haven't officially accepted, but I am definitely excited about this - I am going to look over the detailed job description and chat once more with the director before I officially accept. I'll be sure to post more info as soon as it's all finalized!
I also have a job interview tomorrow for my first choice position - it's an AmeriCorps*VISTA at a local college working in their community service office - hopefully that will go well! I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but I am going to do my very best!
Things are starting to come together... :-)
HOWEVER - I have fantastic news! I was offered a summer position at a summer camp as a division head (member of senior staff that supervises a division of the camp). I haven't officially accepted, but I am definitely excited about this - I am going to look over the detailed job description and chat once more with the director before I officially accept. I'll be sure to post more info as soon as it's all finalized!
I also have a job interview tomorrow for my first choice position - it's an AmeriCorps*VISTA at a local college working in their community service office - hopefully that will go well! I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but I am going to do my very best!
Things are starting to come together... :-)
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Thanks IT!!
I got home from Easter break last night (we had Friday and Monday off and I spent a relaxing weekend at home...I got a lot of work done, had a job interview and enjoyed the increasingly beautiful spring weather!) and to my surprise, started having computer problems. SMC's Information Technology department is really good about making sure that all computers on the network are protected from viruses, and since I had updated my virus protection while I was at home, there was some miscommunication between my computer and the network so I wasn't allowed to connect to the internet...It was kind of a pain, but I called IT as soon as I got up this morning and they had it all fixed in a matter of minutes.
The IT department here is great - they fix problems like this and also ensure that everything with technology is running smoothly on campus. It was great to have them just a call away when something goes wrong!
The IT department here is great - they fix problems like this and also ensure that everything with technology is running smoothly on campus. It was great to have them just a call away when something goes wrong!
Saturday, April 4, 2009
busy week!
I'm up early today to give a tour to students accepted into the SMC class of 2013, so I thought I'd update you on life back in the US.
Coming back has been tough to say the least - spending time in a place that is so different and so refreshing made it extra hard to come back to the daily grind of classes, meetings and work, but I had a pretty busy week filled with lots of great stuff to keep me going!
Highlights include our third organized DR reunion since we've been back on Monday, a tour on Tuesday, an Extended Service welcome back dinner where each group that went on a service trip over break shared their experiences over a delicious dinner, the last Virtual Open House of the year on Thursday and the beginning of parents weekend yesterday with the Phi Beta Kappa induction.
My job search was also in full swing this past week, setting up interviews and getting the word out that I'm looking for a job...I met with Heidi, the director of the MOVE program on Thursday to discuss opportunities that she knows of. One thing I love about the SMC community is that even in rough economic times like these, there is always someone on campus who knows someone who might have an opportunity for you. I by no means think that I am going to secure my dream job at the end of this year, but I know that with the support and resources of the SMC community, I have to find something. I'm interviewing for a year-long AmeriCorps position on Monday and a summer position with the DREAM program on Friday, so wish me luck on those!
I've got a few big projects to finish before the school year ends (my fictional story for Fiction Writing and my big magazine project for Magazines and Feature Writing) as well as a few performances (April 30th my dance class is performing outside as part of the Spring Arts Festival and May 1st my drumming class is performing at 7pm). I'll keep you posted on how everything goes!
Coming back has been tough to say the least - spending time in a place that is so different and so refreshing made it extra hard to come back to the daily grind of classes, meetings and work, but I had a pretty busy week filled with lots of great stuff to keep me going!
Highlights include our third organized DR reunion since we've been back on Monday, a tour on Tuesday, an Extended Service welcome back dinner where each group that went on a service trip over break shared their experiences over a delicious dinner, the last Virtual Open House of the year on Thursday and the beginning of parents weekend yesterday with the Phi Beta Kappa induction.
My job search was also in full swing this past week, setting up interviews and getting the word out that I'm looking for a job...I met with Heidi, the director of the MOVE program on Thursday to discuss opportunities that she knows of. One thing I love about the SMC community is that even in rough economic times like these, there is always someone on campus who knows someone who might have an opportunity for you. I by no means think that I am going to secure my dream job at the end of this year, but I know that with the support and resources of the SMC community, I have to find something. I'm interviewing for a year-long AmeriCorps position on Monday and a summer position with the DREAM program on Friday, so wish me luck on those!
I've got a few big projects to finish before the school year ends (my fictional story for Fiction Writing and my big magazine project for Magazines and Feature Writing) as well as a few performances (April 30th my dance class is performing outside as part of the Spring Arts Festival and May 1st my drumming class is performing at 7pm). I'll keep you posted on how everything goes!
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