Andrea

rain rain go away

I'm sitting here writing the rain fall down outside my townhouse window as I write this post this morning.  Yesterday was freezing drizzle all day (campus was covered in a thin layer of ice ... it was very creepy.  And very slippery!) and now it's been raining into the morning. The last of the snow will probably be gone in a few hours, although a couple of my roommates just said there might be some on the way.  I love winter and I love the snow ... but I hope this weather doesn't mean the snow is going to come in March/April when we should start heading down to North Beach and being able to lay outside.

Last week was a busy one for me as we were working on budget reallocations for Founders Society.  Budget allocations happen each  spring for every club - each club has to propose a budget and how they will spend it in the upcoming year, as well as what they have done with their money during the past year.  As a new coordinator last spring, I got to help make the budget and even sit in on the allocation process.  Reallocations happen at the beginning of second semester, and are used as a check system to make sure clubs are doing okay things with their budget (and actually using their money).  Founders Society always has a hard case because so much of our money is actually used in the spring for Accepted Student Open Houses and Junior Programs.  Nonetheless, I devised a four-page planned spending outline, and after revisions, deletions and additions during our coordinator/adviser meeting last Wednesday, we came up with a really good plan.  I think it eliminated a lot of questions, and the effort impressed the SA  Board. 

This semester's really weird for me because I seem to have a lot of time on my hands! I'm normally used to always going somewhere, being in some meeting or in the lab working on some endless journalism project.  Last semester I was finishing up the summer grant research so I was even busier!  It's a nice change of pace - and unlike some of my roommates (sorry guys), I'm really glad I saved my easiest semester for my last one.  I'm still working in the Office of Admission and things are getting really busy with Founders Society, so that's keeping me busy.  I've also started working on The Hilltop, our yearbook, because they needed someone interested in sports ... and it sounded like a lot of fun.  As the semester grows on, things will start to get increasingly busier with our Senior Sem project as well.  And I've been trying to be really good about going to the gym ... my dad and I are planning on hiking the Monadnock Sunapee Greenway.  It's a five day, four night hike from Mt. Monadnock to Mt. Sunapee.  My dad and I started talking about doing it this summer, and after joking around about it, we've finally decided that my work schedule permitting, we'll hike it after my parents get out of school in June.  Although I normally run a lot, I've been trying to start getting in better shape because it will definitely be a challenge.  And I'm sure nothing I'll ever forget!

and so it begins

So I'm three days into my last first week of classes ... ever.  It's just weird! Because of my fabulously planned schedule this semester, yesterday (not Monday) was my first day of classes.  The day began with Calligraphy, which is a great group of people (mostly seniors and mostly friends), which is going to be hard!  Seriously.  Calligraphy takes a lot of talent and a lot of practice, but I'm really excited to get better and  look back at the end of the semester at the letters I learned to write yesterday (most of them looked pretty scary).  I then had Business Communications, which is basically a business public speaking class.  It's a big class with lots of different ages and personalities, so our presentations should definitely be interesting.  Tomorrow we have to bring in an object that best represents us and, in two to three minutes, discuss how it is a "self-portrait" of us.  I'm planning on bringing in my ski boot heater battery, because I really have no desire to lug my ski boot across campus.  I then had Media and Iraq, which will complete my journalism requirement.  It's odd because it's not the usual journalism class, or people I  normally have JO classes with, but the class looks to be great.  The professor is incredibly engaging (thankfully, because the class goes until 5:45).  We also have a girl who is in ROTC, and two classmates who are in the Air Force and the Marines, so the discussion will definitely be full!  Today I only have my Senior Seminar class for Journalism, which meets from 2:30-6:00.  Yikes.

I'm also mailing my first job application out today! It's for a position in Sports Information, so keep your fingers crossed.  I can't say enough about the amazing Career Counselors at St. Mike's.  Donna Atwater, who was my practicum professor last semester, makes everything so painless and easy and is an invaluable resource when it comes to the most obscure questions - she has an answer for everything.  It's great.  The Student Resource Center puts on resume workshops, interview skills workshops, etiquette dinners, plus they do practice interviews, have Focus tests, a great Career Advisory Network (a list of alumni who are in the field and geographic area you wish to pursue and have volunteered themselves to help you learn more about your field.  Read: Networking!), the list goes on ...  They will also help you find internships as an underclassmen.  And they always greet you with open arms and a smiling face.

Tonight  is our Founders Society "Welcome Back Holiday Dinner."  A couple years ago, we moved it to after Break because everyone is so busy in the last few weeks of the semester and stressed with finals.  It's a nice chance to catch up with friends and fellow Founders members after a month off, and a great opportunity for our club to regroup for the semester.  We're doing the Tour Guide Selection Process a few months earlier this semester, so hopefully tonight will be an opportunity for some of those prospects to join Founders as well.  Unfortunately, my Senior Sem class meets in the middle of it, so I'll only be able to catch the tail end.  But I know Nick, Mal and Josh will do a great job ... It's hard because we're all so busy, but everyone picks up where someone else leaves off, so even if we can't all be there, things always seem to work out. 

where's the snow?

So I'm sitting here up far too early ready to hit the mountain for another day of skiing, but no such luck.  I live near the base of a mountain in NH, so I'm fortunate to always get of snow in every snow. The mountain's had probably record December and January records so far, but the past two days have killed the snow around here.  On Sunday we still had multiple feet of snow in our front yard, but 60 degree weather, fog and rain means the mountain's struggling for snow cover ... so it looks like a day of watching election coverage from yesterday! New Hampshire held our "First in the Nation Primary" yesterday, and while the  results may not have swung in my liking, the state AND town turned out in record numbers.  Although I'm sick of the political calls, door-to-door campaigners and TV ads, it really is a democratic society at its best and very neat to  be a part of.

I only have three days left in what's probably my last month-long vacation ever ... I'm getting ready to pack up + head  back to SMC for my last semester, which I don't really care to think about.  I'm more than excited to get back to school and see my roommates who I didn't get to catch up with over break and see my friends and even get back into the swing of classes and routine, but I know it's all going to end far too fast.  As far as classes this semester, I have Calligraphy, Business Communications and Media + Iraq on Tuesdays and Thursdays and my Senior Sem for Journalism on Wednesday evenings.  Okay, so it's not an overly strenuous schedule, but I'm worked hard for 3.5 years and think I deserve a break and take some classes I enjoy ... and senior sem will prove to be TONs of work, no doubt.  That's what's great about the liberal arts aspect of SMC ... you can take such a variety of classes outside of your major that still earn you credits and inch you closer to graduating. And once you've fulfilled your requirements, you can take classes that simply interest you.

I'm also anxious to get back into the non-academic routine.   I'll continue with my work study in the Admissions Office, keep up with the Founders Society for a busy, busy spring semester, volunteer on Friday afternoons with a skiing program for young children, and get in some time for skiing my self.

Enjoy these crazy weather patterns whether you're on the west coast getting slammed with snow (in which case, I'm jealous) or experiencing record high temps here in the East! ~ Andrea