Month: October 2009

Xairete!

Hope everyone is doing well and, if you’re a college student in the middle of midterms, that you’re keeping your sanity a little better than I am! Sophomore year started out busy, and just seems to keep getting more and more so. Over Columbus Day weekend, I should have spent my time home relaxing and catching up on some reading. Instead, I ran around like a crazy person visiting my friends, shopping, chauffeuring my younger sisters around, and going out to dinner. Amidst all of the craziness, though, I did have a blast. I drove to see my best friend from high school, Rachel, at her school in New Jersey, had dinner with Doctor Bender and attended one of his classes at St. Joe’s University, took my younger sister to my high school’s open house (quite the strange experience! She’s growing up too quickly!), shopped like a madwoman, and watched the Phillies move on in our second bid at the World Series in two years. All in all, a successful weekend.

However, I came back to a heaping pile of work which I really didn’t even realize I had until I checked out all of my syllabi and saw that I had a presentation due Thursday, a Greek exam Friday, a Sociology paper for Monday, a Government paper for Tuesday, and a Gov exam Thursday. I’m slowly but surely working my way through all of this and somehow living to tell the tale!

Besides these wonderful assignments and exams, I also have to get to work on my Study Abroad application. I’ve been mulling over the essay for quite some time and think that I am finally ready to put my thoughts down in a coherent form, but when I am going to find the time to do so I really have no idea. What I am most excited about is formulating my tutorials which I want to propose for Oxford. The school operates on a tutorial system in which one takes a primary and secondary tutorial for eight weeks at a time, meeting once a week and once every other week respectively. I’ve come up with a few exciting ideas for what I would like to study there, meshing my love for Classics and involving the British culture as well.

Unfortunately, I only got about 3 ½ hours of sleep last night, so I’m off to lunch, Greek, then taking a much-needed nap. Valete for now!

Salvete, all!

Long time, no post! So much has been going on in these last couple days before I go home for a little break over Columbus Day long weekend. So much to update you on!
Last Wednesday was one of the most interesting and inspiring moments of my Holy Cross career so far. Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea, came to speak to the Holy Cross community for our 2YO program (Second Year Opportunities). I actually had the privilege of meeting Mr. Mortenson at the dinner held in his honor, which a few members of the Class of 2012 were invited to attend. I spoke with him briefly and was struck by the fact that he did not seem like a “larger than life” celebrity. On the contrary, he was a very down-to-earth, shy, and kind man who has done some extraordinary work with education in Afghanistan and Pakistan. His lecture was wonderful, and he was (almost surprisingly) a fantastic speaker. I will cherish this memory of my sophomore year as one of the most amazing experiences I have had at Holy Cross.

In study abroad news, the debate between Rome and Oxford is still raging. I am applying to both, but what I actually end up choosing is still a huge mystery even to me. Every day I feel like I wake up and favor one or the other. I have decided that in order to make this decision I am going to give my mind a break from thinking about the possibilities and options so much. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the technicalities of going abroad—cost, courses, credits, etc. etc.—and to miss the main point here (which Professor Joseph pointed out to me in our meeting last week): anything I choose is going to be an amazing experience. I just have to discern which will fit me best.

This week is hectic beyond belief—I spent another 11 or so hours at Kimball last weekend, and have a presentation in Latin tomorrow and one in Greek on Friday. But after that, I’m free until next Wednesday, both from Kimball and schoolwork. My parents are planning on driving up late Friday to get me…yes, I will most likely get back to Philadelphia at around 3 in the morning, but I just need a break from work and homework and applications! My friends are all feeling the same way, but we did manage to go to Panera last night just to get away and have some non-Kimball food.

Valete everyone! Have a wonderful weekend. I’m sure I’ll have some interesting stories from my time home!