skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Happy Wednesday, blog readers!
So, now we are back from Thanksgiving break and there are only two and a half more weeks until the end of the semester. I have been pretty stressed out since we got back, but after this week I think things will start to calm down. I just need to get through a couple research papers and presentations first!
My time at home was wonderful. I was lucky enough to be there for six days and it was so nice to just lounge around the house. I did make a pretty decent dent in my work, though. I also got to catch up with my friends from home
which is always nice. We had a low-key Thanksgiving at my house, but then my family and I went to my best friend Jamie's house to have dessert with her family. She tried to take a good picture of me with my brother, but instead we ended up with this.
For the first time since I started college, I won't be spending the entirety of Winter Break at home. Instead, I am going home from the 20th-26th and then am coming back into the city for the rest of break. I am definitely looking forward to being in my apartment without the stress of classes!
Long time no blog!
I can't believe Thanksgiving break is mere hours away! I am heading home tonight and am looking forward to a relaxing break from classes. Unfortunately, I do have a lot of work to get done while I'm home. This includes, but is certainly not limited to preparing for my Teach for America final interview next Wednesday!
Anyways, before we get into Thanksgiving break, let's backtrack a bit. The past few weeks have been filled with a lot of exciting things, especially Ambassador gatherings! Earlier in the month, Beckee had all of the Ambassador girls (and Andrew!) over her apartment and we had a blast. Then, last weekend, Kristin had all of the Ambassadors over for a classy potluck dinner party. We took five million pictures and had a wonderful time.
So,
needless to say, I will miss being in the city with all of these wonderful people, but am definitely looking forward to cuddling with my dog on the couch for five days. Then, there are only two weeks of classes left when we get back, and then the Winter Ball! Things may be stressful, but there is certainly a lot to look forward to.
And with that, I am heading out of the office and back to the suburbs! I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with lots of good food and good company!
Happy November, everyone!
So, this weekend was Halloween. On Friday, I went home to babysit my brother while my parents had their annual Halloween Bash (they think they are 15). It was nice to spend some time with him and eat lots of leftovers from the party. I came back into the city on Saturday morning and went on a literary walking tour for extra credit for my American Realism class. It was a beautiful day for walking and I learned a lot! Now I just need to motivate myself to write a couple pages about it.
I spent the rest of Saturday catching up on my sleep and putting together my Halloween costume (I was an 80's aerobics instructor!). For the most part, I think Halloween is overrated, but I was determined to have a good one since it is my senior year. Josh, one of my best friends from home, had a Halloween gathering at his apartment in Brighton and I went with Beckee and Sarah. We saw a lot of awesome costumes and overall had a really good time.
Yesterday was another low-key day for me. I have been running myself dry during the week and love being able to just sit around and do nothing. It certainly makes it hard to get back into the swing of things during the week, though. This week looks like it will be a good one, though. Tomorrow night, Program Council is hosting a Sean Kingston and Girl Talk concert at the House of Blues and tickets are only $15! I am really looking forward to it.
This weekend looks like it's going to be pretty awesome, too. On Friday, Beckee is getting all the girl Ambassadors together at her apartment for a big slumber party. We had the idea weeks ago and I am so excited it is finally going to happen! There will be lots of food, truth or dare, and absolutely NO Ambassador boys!
Looks like there are a lot of exciting things happening this week! But for now, it's time to get back to work in the office and get through this long Monday of classes!
Happy Tuesday, everyone!
This week seems to be dragging on especially slowly. I have had so much reading to do and so many papers to write over the past week that I am ready for a long nap. This weekend is Halloween, though, so I probably won't have much time to catch up on sleep!
Despite all the work I have had, I have still been able to take advantage of all things October. A couple weekends ago, I brought my roommate, Sarah, and my fellow
Ambassador, Beckee home with me to go apple picking. We went with my best friend, Jamie, and my 4 year-old brother, John. It was a blast! My parents made us dinner and then we headed back into the city. Sometimes it is so nice to spend some time at home.Last week, I started my internship at Teen Voices. I met the group of teenage girls I will be working with, and they were awesome. Together, we are going to be doing the Arts and Culture feature of the magazine, and I think it is going to be a really great experience. The girls seem very outgoing and mature, and I am looking forward to the rest of the semester.
Then, on Saturday, six of us worked at the Students with Students Information Session. It was the last one of the semester, so I was especially excited about it. Unfortunately, it was down pouring most of the morning, but luckily the rain held up while we were out giving tours. During the session, I spoke about studying abroad at Suffolk, and was reminded of how much I miss London. Applying to graduate schools there is one of the many things on my list of potential plans post-graduation, and there are some days when I feel like I need to go back as soon as possible.
And, like I said, this weekend is Halloween! I haven't exactly decided what I am going to be yet, but hopefully I will figure something out. I usually think Halloween is overrated because I never seem to have much fun, but now that it is my senior year, I am going to try to make the most of it and have a good time.
I have had the craziest few days. I guess there is no time for senioritis!
On Friday and Saturday I had orientation for my internship at Teen Voices. It was a very long two days, but I am so excited to start working. On the 16th, I will find out which teenage girls I will be working with and which section of the magazine we will be writing for. My first choice is a section called "The Road to College," which I think would blend nicely with my work here in Admissions, but I will be happy with anything! I will be working alongside two girls aged 14-18 for 10 weeks while we come up with a feature article for the magazine. Getting to know and mentoring the girls is also a huge part of my work there. Ah, I am so excited!
Then, on Saturday I went out to dinner with my grandpa, his wife, and her daughter, since they were visiting from Buffalo. We went to the North End (of course), and then did some walking around the city. On Sunday I went home for the day and we all went to brunch. It's nice to go back to the suburbs sometimes, especially when the leaves are falling.
Yesterday I made my way back to my apartment in Somerville and started my new job at Banana Republic. I am a slave to retail jobs, apparently. Everyone there seems awesome, though, and my discount is 50%! Between working there, in Admissions, and as TA, I would like to think that my bank account will stay afloat, but that discount is going to be very dangerous!
I am especially looking forward to the long weekend. I could certainly use a day off to catch up on work and sleep!
Happy Wednesday, everyone.Things haven't picked up in the office yet, so there's lots of time for blogging. I just came back from giving a tour, and it's starting to get chilly outside. Soon, it will be time for winter coats! Ugh.Luckily, today is a fairly easy day for me. I just have one class after I leave the office, and then I'm free to go home. Tonight I need to do a ton of reading and plan for SU101 tomorrow, but hopefully it won't take too long. Tomorrow will be busy, but I'm looking forward to it because there is going to be a performance of August Wilson's Fences in the C. Walsh Theatre. I am going to write an article about it for the Suffolk Voice (http://www.thesuffolkvoice.net/). I wonder how many times I've shamelessly plugged the Voice in this blog. Too many. Read it.In addition to writing the occassional news article for the Voice this year, I am also writing a bi-weekly column about my experience as a college senior. I think I will spend most of this year in disbelief over the fact that in eight months I will have a college degree, so maybe rambling about it will ease my anxiety. I am actually pretty excited to graduate and get on with the next phase of my life. For right now, though, I am focusing on what exactly that phase will entail. I have a number of potential plans, all of which I will jinx if I write about them here, so stay tuned, and keep your fingers crossed!
Good Morning, all!It's officially fall here in Boston, and I really can't get over the fact that this Thursday marks the start of October. September flew by, and we are already three weeks into the semester! It has been a good start to senior year, though, and I am looking forward to the rest of it.I have been having a great time exploring Porter Square, the area in Somerville where I live with my three roommates. It only takes me half an hour to get to school, and there are a ton of great little restaurants and shops near my apartment. Last night, my roommate, Sarah and I went to an adorable little diner and ate SO much. Over my past three years in the city, I think most of my money has gone towards food! As far as commuting on the T goes, I have been pretty lucky, but on Friday I needed to come into work to give a tour and there was a disabled train in Harvard Station (the stop after mine), and it was going to be there for half an hour. So, after making various frantic phone calls and finding a cab, I made it into the city and found out that Meg was nice enough to bring the tour group out for me. I met up with them and took the tour the rest of the way, but it was a very nerve racking morning. Thanks for saving my tour, Meg!
This weekend I worked alongside seven other Ambassadors at the Students with Students Information session. We all love working this event, as it allows us the chance to really connect with prospective students and parents. A panel of Ambassadors spent the first half of the event speaking about various aspects of life at Suffolk, and then we took the families out on campus tours. The weather was great, and overall I think it was a hit! I am already looking forward to the next one on October 17th!On Friday I will be starting my internship for the fall semester. I am going to be an Editorial Mentor at Teen Voices, a magazine made by, for, and about teen girls. I am going to be working on a section of the magazine with a group of high school girls who are on the Editorial Staff as they interview, write, and edit for the magazine. I think it's going to be a really great experience and it will certainly keep me busy!Time to get some work done in the office. Happy fall!
Happy Monday, blog readers!
I can't believe we are already in our third week of the semester. So far, my classes have been intense, but I am enjoying them. I am not looking forward to reading 200 pages for Contemporary British Fiction tonight, though.
I think I can justify my procrastination, though, because this Friday was my 21st birthd
ay. My parents came in for dinner and my best friend from home, Jamie, came into the city to go out with me! I was so happy she was here for it and that I got to spend my birthday with so many wonderful people! Then, on Saturday Haley and Rachel hosted an Ambassador gathering at their apartment. It's always nice to get together with everyone outside of the office. A good time was had by all!
On Sunday, I woke up bright and early to go to the InterFuture Research Colloquium. At this event, my fellow InterFuture classmates and I presented our findings from the research we conducted abroad. It was great to see everyone again and hear about how their research went. It was also nice to get feedback from staff members and get into the mindset of doing the United States portion of my study.
This week looks like it will be a busy one. Today I need to buy my tickets for the Sean Kingston and Girl Talk concert hosted by Program Council and tomorrow is the Temple Street Student Activities Fair where I will be working at the Venture Literary Magazine table. The Fair gives students an opportunity to learn about different clubs on campus, and to get free food and prizes. It's always a chaotic, but fun day. I also have a ton of planning to do for my SU101 class on Thursday. My instructor and I are assigning the Suffolk Scavenger Hunt to our students and it is my favorite class of the semester! We send them out in small groups to search for different places on campus. It was a huge success with our class last year.
That's it for now. Time to get back to work in the office. Enjoy the week!
Looking back on my last blog post, I can't believe it was almost five months ago that I returned home from London. The summer flew by and we are already getting back into the swing of things on campus. After a semester of doing my own research on my own time, it has been strange taking classes again, but I think it's going to be a good year. After all, I am a senior!
Coming back from London was difficult. Of course, I was a little homesick while I was there, but I would have stayed there all summer if I could have. I came home with $0 in my bank account and went back to work right away. I never stopped thinking about London, though, and can't wait to get back there as soon as possible. One major highlight of the summer was when my host family from London came to Boston to visit some old friends. It had only been a few months since I last saw them, but I already missed them so much and loved getting to see them.
On September 1st, I moved into an apartment with three other girls in Porter Square. It's about half an hour from school and I have loved exploring the area. And it sure beats commuting! As for classes, they seem pretty good so far. I am taking two English classes for my major and two Philosophy classes for my minor. I also recently got a job at Borders to that will keep me busy, too!
Now, it's time to get back to work in the office! Here is to a memorable (and hopefully not too difficult!) senior year!
I don't like to admit it, but I have a terrible love for "The Way I See It" quotes on Starbucks cups. 83 days ago, as we sat in Logan Airport waiting to embark on our InterFuture adventures, Beckee and I read one by Youssou N'Dour. It said "People need to see that far from being an obstacle, the world's diversity of languages, religions, and traditions is a great treasure affording us precious opportunities to recognize ourselves in others".
Ain't that the truth. Goodbye, London.
I clearly have never lived in a warm climate because the fact that it is 60 degrees and sunny has me jumping for joy. I don't want my last couple weeks in London filled with gray skies and rain!
Along with April and Tram, the other InterFuture scholars I am here with, I have been making an itinerary for our last weeks in London so that we are sure to see everything before heading back to Boston! Last weekend we went to a comedy night at a local pub and it was absolutely hilarious. It was fun to experience English humo(u)r at its best, and we are planning to go back there tomorrow evening. On Monday, we bought tons of food and had a picnic at Alexandra Park near our house on Muswell Hill, and later we went to see yet another musical in the West End - Spring Awakening - for only 10 pounds! Today, the plan is to check out Little Venice (although my guess is that it won't have anything on the North End), and tomorrow we are going on a tour of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre! There are also a few museums and markets we want to get to before we leave.
Three months ago I never would have thought that I'd still have sights to see in my last few weeks, but the time really does go by so quickly. You think you have all the time in the world, but somehow it slips right through your fingers. I have begun to check out graduate programs in London because I want to come back as soon as possible! And the best part is that it will be significantly cheaper to go to graduate school here than in the US. At the rate I change my mind, though, who knows what will happen?
My research has also picked up quite a bit in these last few weeks. I ended up going to that conference hosted by the Sex Education Forum and it provided me with mountains of information. I am also going into a school a few days before I leave to observe a sex education class and distribute my questionnaires to the students. Until then, though, I have been busy getting myself ready for the Amsterdam conference. We have to do a write-up of our project methodology - how we did our project, who we spoke to, what materials we collected, etc, and we have to prepare a 20 minute presentation on our initial findings. Unfortunately, there will also be a 10 minute Question and Answer session following each presentation, so it will take 7 hours for all 14 of us to present! As much as I am looking forward to being in Amsterdam with the other InterFuture scholars, I am beginning to realize that it is going to be yet another mentally fatiguing four days.
I am trying to update more frequently so that I can tell of all my London adventures!
A couple weekends ago, April (the other InterFuture scholar I am living with) and I went up North with our host sister, Ella, to visit the University of Sheffield. While Ella attended an Open House-type event, April and I explored the city and did some shopping. Lucky for us, it was an absolutely gorgeous day! I have really enjoyed getting out of London and seeing other parts of England during my time here.
Then, early last week, two fellow InterFuture girls, who are studying in Madrid, 
came to visit London for a few days. It was so nice to see them and exchange stories of our lives and research abroad. One of the nights they were here, we went to see the musical Avenue Q and it was absolutely hilarious. I am hoping to get to a few more shows in the West End before I leave. They have great discounts for students.
I also had an interview last week with a health educator at a local school. I loved talking with her, and she even gave me the name of someone else to contact for my research. Tomorrow, I will be attending a one-day sex education conference hosted by the Sex Education Forum, a subset of the National Children's Bureau. The day will be filled with presentations on research and new approaches to sex education. I am hopeful that it will provide me with a lot of good background information for my report, and also an opportunity to network with local health educators.
I really love it here. If I had the money and the means, I would stay for the summer in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, though, I will be going back to work at Aeropostale as soon as I get home so I can start saving for an apartment! I guess that brings me to the fact that I decided not to go to South Africa. It was a really difficult decision, but it just isn't the right time/situation for me. I know I will get there at some point, just not this Fall. I am looking forward to being in Boston for the entirety of my senior year. Although living in the city will empty my bank account, I won't have to get on the commuter rail every day, and I will get to see my friends more often. I think it will be a great year. But, of course, let's not jump the gun - I still have 3 weeks in London!
The past week has been absolutely crazy! Last Friday my Mom and Aunt arrived in London and we spent the entire 
week sightseeing, shopping, and traveling! It was a lot different from the un-regimented, laidback time I have been spending in London for the past two months, but it was a nice change.
We spent Sunday as quintessential tourists: Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum,
a bus tour around the city, and shopping at Harrods. I also took them to Camden Market, a huge outdoor market with everything you could imagine, and we had dinner at the Tate Modern, an art museum with amazing views of London. Then, on Monday it was time for Paris! We were only there for a few days, but it was absolutely beautiful. I need to go back some day. Over the last few days of their stay, we went on a tour of the Tower of London, had afternoon tea at an adorable hotel, saw Abbey Road, and celebrated my Aunt's birthday. It was really nice to have them here. I had been a little homesick, and it was the perfect remedy. Now I am ready to continue work on my project and enjoy my final month in London!
Hello!
I have just over a month left in London. I have been here far longer than I have yet to be here, and soon it will all come to an end. It's so depressing. I have been trying not to dwell on it, but despite how busy I have been, it feels like the days are slipping through my fingers. I need more time!
Anyways, in the spirit of focusing on the present, I will update you all on what I have been doing. Last weekend I went to Oxford, Windsor, and Bath. While in Bath, I was able to meet up with a friend from home who is studying there this semester. All three are beautiful cities, and I am so glad I ventured out into other parts of England. I plan to do a bit more exploring outside of London before I leave.
On Monday, I went on the London Eye with the girls I am here with, April and Tram, and Tram's boyfriend, Mike. At first I was worried about being up so high, but it moved so slowly that I could barely tell when we were at the top. I was able to get some great pictures of London. Then, last night we got cheap tickets for Wicked! It was such an amazing show. From the storyline, to the performances, to the set, it was an absolutely flawless musical and I am so happy I saw it.
A few hours ago my Mom and Aunt arrived at Heathrow. They are spending the night at a hotel close to the airport and making their way up to Muswell Hill, where I live, in the morning. I am so excited to see them (naturally, I have become a bit homesick) and we have a great itinerary. I will be sure to blog about their visit next week!
And of course I have been working on my project. I had an interview with a health educator at a school in East London a couple weeks ago and have continued to stay in touch with her. I have another interview scheduled, am doing loads of project-related reading, and quite a bit of writing, too. Overall, it's coming along smoothly.
That's it for now. Cheers!
I apologize for my lack in posting - it seems like there is always something to do in London!
It's hard for me to believe I've been here for a month already. I am trying to take in everything London has to offer because before I know it I will be on a plane back to Boston. As part of the InterFuture program, we have a final conference in Amsterdam before we come home, though, so it will be great to reunite with everyone after an exciting semester apart. After the conference, I think fellow Ambassador, Beckee and I are going to do a bit of European exploring, and then of course I will be Bay State bound once again.
As for what I have been up to lately, work has been getting done, but there is still a lot of free time. I am realizing 
more and more how unique (and strange) the InterFuture program really is. I am completely on my own schedule - I don't have classes to go to or any day to day obligations at all really. I just need to finish my research in three months, and how I decide to do that is up to me. It makes for a lot of down time, which has made me a bit restless since I'm used to always being on the go in Boston, but I am learning to embrace the chance to reflect on being here. The project itself has been moving pretty slowly, though, so I am hoping things will pick up soon. It has been difficult for me to gain access into schools to interview students and health teachers, but I do have an interview this Thursday so I am hoping it will go well.
Other than that, I am continuing to do the tourist thing and am also anxiously awaiting the arrival of my Mom and Aunt. They are coming in on the 13th for a week-long visit and I am beyond excited to see them. I am going to spend a few days showing them around London, and then we are heading to Paris!
Au Revoir!
Greetings Blog Readers!!
It has been far too long since my last post. Since then, I have enjoyed a relaxing Winter Break, packed (very lightly, might I add!), and departed for jolly old England! I have been here for almost two weeks now, and it has been wonderful. I live with an amazing family in North London. There are tons of little shops and restaurants right up the street, so I am basically in heaven.
Of course, though, I have been enjoying all of the touristy things, too. The nerd (and cheapskate) in me can't get enough of all the free museums here, and my jaw dropped when I saw Big Ben and the London Eye for the first time. That was when it really hit me - I am in London!
But then there is the research I am supposed to be doing. For anyone who needs a recap, InterFuture is an organization that gives undergrads the opportunity to do a cross-cultural study on a topic of their choice. I am looking at the accessibility and use of condoms among 16-18 year old students in the US, England, and South Africa. So, basically, while I am here I will be going to schools and conducting interviews with students and health educators. Then, I will do the same over the summer at home in the US, and hopefully again during the fall semester in South Africa (I am not 100% about going there yet). Anyways, today I finally started sending e-mails and preparing letters. I did promise myself a week of relaxation and sight-seeing before getting down to business, though, so I don't feel too bad about waiting.
Now it's time to go to bed. I will be sure to blog again soon!
which is always nice. We had a low-key Thanksgiving at my house, but then my family and I went to my best friend Jamie's house to have dessert with her family. She tried to take a good picture of me with my brother, but instead we ended up with this.
