It is worth noting that this is just a small glimpse at this year, but it’s the best I could do in a limited space. They are also not in chronological order. Sorry!
The last few days have been a whirlwind of paper-writing, packing, and tearful goodbyes. I am writing this from the front seat of my car: my little brother and I are currently 700-something miles into a cross-country trek back to Texas, although by the time I post this, I will likely already be home, as I doubt I’ll have internet access before then.
Still, I have a lot of time to reflect during my stints in the passenger seat, and it seemed appropriate that I write one last blog post to wrap up the year before I drop off the face of the earth until January 2014. (Oh, and on a more logistical note, if you actually read this blog regularly – or as regularly as is possible with my posting schedule – you should note that I won’t be posting here while I’m abroad. I’ll be running an abroad blog, though, so I’ll put the link up here when that’s created.)
This year was intense. It was intense in every way: intense workload, intense stress, intense emotions, intense experiences. I don’t mean to say that it was bad – I felt intensely happy for huge chunks of it. But everything about it was powerful.
Last night, a friend stopped by my room to ask me if I had read an article for class yet – I hadn’t – and if I understood it. I couldn’t help her, but we started talking anyway, chatting about our upcoming final paper for the class. We are writing some sort of rhetorical criticism of a message: they will be roughly 20 pages long. She is doing a narrative analysis, and I am doing a postcolonial critique.
From paper topics, the conversation drifted into the realm of I.S. We gushed over one professor, discussing how much we wanted to have her as our I.S. advisor. We chatted about different topics that we are considering, and she laughed at me about my enthusiasm over postcolonial criticism. I probably said, “Postcolonial is my jam!” at least three times, and I grew ebullient and effusive as I explained the different ideas I had had.
It was lovely. My roommate came back at one point and chuckled slightly at our bubbling COMM major gossip. We discussed different professors and what we liked about them, the classes that we wanted to take, and our academic plans for the next two years.
I am from Texas, a huge southern state where Greek life has a certain impression attached to it. It is a land of national organizations, formal rush periods, and high heels and pearls. I can only imagine that this is why, when I mention that I am in a sorority, people back home tend to react in a confused way: because I am not the stereotypical sorority girl. The only pearls I own are plastic, and I get excited over rhetorical criticism. I don’t know how to curl my hair – nor do I have enough hair to curl – and I am bemused at the prospect of finding a date for semi-formal.
Still, I am a sorority girl. It’s not something I planned, or even wanted, but it’s something that happened, and I couldn’t be happier. I wear my letters with pride – and almost constantly – because I love that I am affiliated with such an incredible group of girls.
I didn’t always have this attitude. In fact, up until my arrival on campus, I was a Greek nay-sayer as much as some of the people who now judge me for the lavaliere around my neck. I saw the whole system as unnecessary, and I knew that I would never want to be a part of it.
It has been a long time since I last posted here. In fact, the seasons have changed, and my life has progressed quite a bit.
Looking back (even though we still have about a month left), I am realizing that this semester has been a challenging one, but also a great one. My classes have made me really work hard, but I’ve learned a lot. I’ve also grown socially – I’ve found my niche both with Theta and my other friends here on campus. I’m starting to figure out where I think I’m heading with my life, which is both exhilarating and terrifying.
As the semester winds down, there’s both a lot to do and a lot to look forward to. I need to get all of my ducks in a row for study abroad, prepare for my job this summer, and keep studying/working so that I finish strong in my classes. I’ve also got work and Theta things that keep me busy most weekends, as well as spending as much time with my friends before I leave them for a semester. Still, it’s all good fun, and I’m looking forward to semi-formal, to my final paper in Rhetorical Criticism, and to a wonderful summer and fantastic fall semester, inter alia.
The question mark is there because I am hesitant about the validity of this statement as it pertains to blog posts. Regardless of this platitude’s accuracy, however, I am making my unceremonious return to the blogging world for the spring semester, and I’m only a month late!
There are a couple of weak excuses that I could make for my tardiness in posting (I was pledging; there has been a lot of work; I like to sleep…), but I think I will refrain for now and jump straight in. (And I’ll add a “read more,” as this is shaping up to be quite the lengthy post.) Continue reading
Well, it’s been a great semester. I apologize for my lack of posts between November and now – things got crazy right before Thanksgiving and didn’t stop being crazy until now, one hour before I’m headed home for break.
I guess, then, I should use this post to reflect on my semester. It’s been a good one.
I think I appreciated this place so much more after being away for a semester. I’ve made some wonderful new friends and strengthened my old relationships. I’ve taken some fantastic classes with some stupendous professors. I’ve learned a lot, gotten a job, and had many new experiences.
I’m sorry if this isn’t terribly detailed- maybe I’ll write a better post in the airport or when I get home tomorrow. Right now, though, I’m just overcome with equal doses of sentimentality and excitement. I am glad for this semester even if everything hasn’t gone the way I thought it would. I’m looking forward to next semester: I’ll be taking a full course load (finally!), really getting my major underway, pledging a sorority, and trying all sorts of new things. It should be a great experience.
That’s all I’ve got for now, mostly because I have to anxiously check back over my suitcase four or five more times to make sure I have everything.
Ah, November. That wonderful time of year when all of your professors realize that there’s only a few weeks left in the semester and decide to pile on the assignments. It’s a lovely thing, really.
Sarcasm aside, I am actually having quite a nice November. October wrapped up in a wonderful way with my family dropping in for family weekend (and my 20th birthday!). Then came November, and an onslaught of group projects that were due one after another. Thankfully, I got them all in and all of the presentations done, and it turns out that we did well on all of them!
Now it’s down to the wire with Thanksgiving in a week and tons of assignments due. I’m most excited about my final paper for my Collective Memory class – I’m absolutely in love with my topic, so research is both fascinating and fun.
Additionally, we recently registered for classes! I just today made some changes to my schedule to make it work with junior IS and study abroad, and it now looks like my classes for the coming year are as follows:
I’m very excited for that line up, because it is not only helping me work toward IS (about which I am crazy excited!) but it is also chock full of exciting and interesting courses.
All in all, things are quite peachy. This weekend is the culture show and I am playing the mirror in the German Department’s rendition of Sneewitchen. Then it’s one more day and heading home for break! I love it here, but it’ll be nice to see my family!
First of all, I know that I said I would post more regularly, and I haven’t. This time I actually mean it – I’m being lame and actually scheduling a weekly blogging time into my calendar.
But that’s neither here nor there. (Although if you DO want to read excuses, you can scroll to the bottom of this post.)
The important reason that I made this post is that I get to mascot again! (Yes, I just turned mascot into a verb.) I’m not sure if I ever mentioned my initial stint as the Fighting Scot during Spirit Week, but I had a delightful time. Such a delightful time, in fact, that I became eager for any further mascotting (yes, I just made a gerund of it) gigs.
Imagine my glee, then, when I received an email asking me if I was free to wear the suit this Thursday! I checked my calendar with fingers crossed, and lo and behold I was free! So I will be mascotting on Thursday in all of the Fighting Scot glory!
I find this to be very important, blog-worthy news.
In other news, it is BUSY here at Wooster! That’s why it’s been hard for me to post – there’s been so much work! Everything is coming to a head as we reach the middle of the semester. I have had two major group projects due this week, and just yesterday had two twenty-minute presentations to give. Registration is also fast approaching, and I’m excited for my potential course schedule. Here’s hoping that I get into all of the classes that I want/need!
I’ll keep you posted as things progress!
Bye for now!
So it’s been a while since I last posted. My apologies.
I will defend myself in saying that I have been very busy with school work and extracurriculars like trips to a Cheese Barn, but I really have no excuse. I will try to be more diligent in the future.
Anyway, here are a few salient points from the last few weeks:
I went to Cedar Point for the first time! And this was extra exciting for me because I love roller coasters. I got to ride many a ride and make new friends, which was awesome – all on a WAC (Wooster Activity Crew)-sponsored outing!
I made an apple pie because my friend Elizabeth had her 20th birthday! This was fun – I love any opportunity to use the dorm kitchens, sparse though they are, to bake things. I ran to Walmart and picked up the necessities such as apples and cinnamon, and my friend Emma and I went to town peeling and slicing and mixing until we had two golden brown apple pies that made the whole dorm smell delicious!
Okay, maybe not the whole dorm, but my room smelled awesome.
I am researching my study abroad options! This is especially exciting for me. I have wanted to study abroad since I learned that study abroad existed, and now that dream may actually become reality! I have all sorts of tabs open at the moment, researching different locations and programs, and I’ve met with Jessica DuPlaga (the director of Off-Campus Studies) twice already. I am READY. Now I just need to pick a program, talk to my dad, and talk to my advisor.
And that’s it! I mean, it’s not, not really. I’ve had tests and papers and a trip to a Cheese Barn and an excursion to Massillon and other adventures, but those are the really important points, at least in my opinion.
I promise to put more of an effort into regular posting in the future!
