Congrats!

I believe I had mentioned before that my sister Natasha is a high school senior, so she has been agonizing over the college decision process for these many months now. She applied to five schools, all within Massachusetts, two within Worcester, including my beloved Clark University. As of last week, she has heard back from both those Worcester colleges, and I am excited to say that she has been accepted to both (and I am going to brag for her a little bit by adding with really great academic scholarships)!

Now my sister is really stubborn, especially when it comes to this college stuff and does not want to hear a word I have to say about the decision process or the colleges she has been accepted to even though I go to Clark. So here is what I would say her if she would listen to me:

• Clark is really great for a specific type of person:  I am not going to pretend that Clark is for everyone. People who want strong support from the school community for athletic teams will not find it here. People who want really large classes and a large student body will find Clark claustrophobic. Clark might not be those things, but it is really good at what it is. If you want to find a place where it is easy to get involved in campus and community life, Clark is great. If you enjoy more of a personal relationship with your professors, Clark affords you the chance to do that. I know I really love it here, but I also know I fit the type.
• If you can, live on-campus your first year:  I personally struggled with the decision of whether to commute or live on-campus, and I am extremely glad I chose the latter. As much as it may be true that you can be an involved commuter and establish friendships with people as a commuter, it is a wholly different and worth-while experience to live with your peers.
• Give where you go a fair chance:  I know so many people who talked about transferring to a new college during their first semester here, and while I don't want to diminish their feelings, I think that is too early to really know if you and your college of choice are not a good match. Here is a little secret:  no one feels like they fit in immediately. I'd go so far as to say that is universally true for every college first-year. Everyone has had one of those nights during their first-year where they thought "Why am I here?". While those feelings are unpleasant, I say ride through them for a while and see how you feel after some more time.
• This isn't a final decision if you don't want it to be:  On the flip-side, if you really don't like where you end up, transferring is out there for a reason. There is a college for almost everyone out there, so don't despair if  your first choice doesn't give you the college experience you wanted.

While I may have my own opinions on where I think Natasha should go and where I would like her to go, I know she is a smart kid, and she will figure it out, and most importantly, I know it is her choice. So congratulations, Natasha! I am so proud of you!

Spring Semester Woes and Other Random Thoughts

Has anyone noticed that Spring Semester always goes by in a blink of an eye? Not that Fall semester doesn’t, but in my case Spring semester doesn’t really start before it’s over. Now we are a week from Spring break and after Spring break it feels like 2 weeks and then finals. Scary thing time! And as a Junior I am feeling t his rush of time more than ever. In around two months I’m a senior. And as a senior I have to start thinking about real life. That puts a lot more pressure on this summer. I not only need a job, I need a “fancy dancy” internship to put on my resume. Not only does it have to sound good, but after 3 years of school I want something that would show me what a real “corporate” environment would be like. I mean maybe it’s me, but I feel like all this knowledge that our professors instill in us, has not prepared me at all for finding a job, keeping one, knowing what to do at this job. No pressure though theoretical summer internship. You don’t have to teach me everything; just you know… most things.

Ok so enough complaining. It’s really just exiting. And as the sun shines down on the campus nothing seems too bad. I mean who can be sad when you can wear just a light jacket in February. Oh Global warming you might be bad for the environment, but you are oh so good for my mood. And on this Thursday afternoon with the weekend just around the corner there are not many things that can make me sad.

The English Department is also buzzing with activity. The writing contest deadlines are coming up and students keep dropping off one impressive piece after another. Department Colloquia are also moving along at a great speed. The presentations have been exceptional. The faculty is busy planning next semester, getting ready for finals, but the sun has elevated everyone’s moods. People are smiling and looking for any excuse to take a walk outside. It’s a fun place to be. We’re about to redecorate Anderson House for Spring with colorful flowers and new signs. Come visit after Spring Break and see Anderson House decked out in its Spring Finest!

My advice to myself is to enjoy Spring Semester while it lasts. Treasure every sunshine moment and spend days outside. Have fun, but be productive, as my mom would say. I’m going out to take a walk now with my new favorite band “Iron and Wine” playing.

You're Welcome, Mom.

New England. The land of New England Patriots, clam chowder, skiing, birthplace of the American Revolution, and Cape Cod. I was born and raised in Connecticut; go to school in Massachusetts, and vacation in Vermont. It is safe to say I know a lot about New England. Yet, every single year, without fail, I am still shocked by how cold it gets. Morning after morning after morning I will walk outside and be slapped in the face by freezing cold New England air. So why do I still get so surprised by winter?
When I was in third grade, my mother made me wear one of those snowsuits (I can’t ski if my life depended on it). I thought it was ridiculous. “Mom! It’s not even that cold out! Moommmmmmm!” I felt like Randy from A Christmas Story (“I can’t put my arms down!”). I had an obscene amount of mittens, gloves, scarves and hats. My coats weighed more than I did. I was “that girl” during a fire drill that held up the rest of the class because I had so many extra layers to put on. My mother wouldn’t stop until about mid-April when all of the snow had melted. Then I would move to my spring jacket.
I hate to say this, but my mother was right. New England is New England. Sure we’ve had a couple of days in the 50s, but that doesn’t mean spring is here. Coats, mittens, gloves, hats and scarves were all invented for a reason: It gets cold in the winter. Like, real cold. That’s one of the great things about New England; every winter, it gets cold. Every year. You might be surprised that it took me almost 20 years to learn that. When you think you’re going to look so cool walking outside in 20 degree weather with just a t-shirt on, stop. Don’t be “that kid” who thinks they’re impervious to the cold. All you will end up with is frostbite.
I’ve decided to start a new trend. It’s called “Wear a Jacket Because It’s Freaking Cold Out”.

A Polite Rant

Semester started almost a half a month ago. It is hard to believe how quickly everyone picks right up where they left off before winter break. I already have research to do, readings to finish, projects to plan, and papers to write. This semester is my first semester delving into 200-level course work, and I am looking forward to a challenging semester taking two Management courses and two English courses, American Poetry:  Women Poets and Fictions of Empire.

People who know me are aware of my tendency to start small rants about a wide variety of topics; from the films of Tim Burton to global warming, anything is fair game. I consider it a harmless quirk of my personality and hope others do as well. People who know me are also aware that I am, at heart, an optimist, so these rants typically end on a good note. So I am prefacing my blog post with a warning:  this is one of those rants, but please stick with me through it; I promise it ends on a high note.

The beginning of semester is when you go to your classrooms for the first time. Clark has an eclectic mix of buildings. From the very contemporary Lasry Biosciences Building to the antiquated Estabrook, Clark has a wide range of academic buildings and thus a wide range of types of classrooms, which can be a good thing. However as an English major, I would argue that almost none of these classrooms are really conducive to an English class, or at least, a discussion-based English class.

For example, I have had three English courses now in Sackler 321. Sackler, might I add, is a science building. The room is cold most days of the year. (I believe it is because the windows are of an odd-construction that makes them rather drafty.) It is tucked behind the restrooms and a mildly-threatening room that has a heavy metal door and a sign saying "Danger:  Radioactive Materials". The room itself has two chalkboards, one whiteboard, and all the technology one could possibly desire for a classroom but seems to lack a supply of writing implements for the various boards. The available seating features those awkward chairs with desk-like arms. I call it "desk-like" because it really is too small to hold a notebook or fit an average-sized young adult.

But here is the ending upshot:  I always seem to learn the most in my English courses regardless of how awkwardly the room is set up. Even after the too-small desks and the strange room arrangements, the classes always manage to be fantastic. So although I may not like the rooms they are in, I love the classes, and I am expecting a great semester.