Semester Recap!

     I hate to say this semester has been my most difficult yet, but it just seems that college keeps getting harder! Except they say that that's what you're supposed to expect! Since it is the end of the semester, let's look back at what I've taken and how far we've all come!

This semester I took
     Spanish Theater (in spanish)
     French grammar and composition (in french)
     the Victorian Novel
     Christians and Muslims

     These courses definitely piled on the work and were extremely challenging, but I really enjoyed them all!  Spanish was a course dedicated to reading plays such as Bodas de Sangre, la Vida es Sueno, and Tres Sombreros de Copa.  It was a lot of reading, translating, and acting too!  French was a class filled with writing short essays, correcting them, and then correcting them again.  Not fun, but very helpful.  Victorian Novel was dedicated to reading the classics, but proved to definitely be more reading than I expected, just about 300 pages a week! We read:

Pride and Prejudice
Jane Eyre
Wuthering Heights
Adam Bede,
the Turn of the Screw
Heart of Darkness
David Copperfield
Jude the Obscure

      Many novels, and tons of reading! But I loved it all, and I was even in class with some of my friends.  Christians and Muslims was another interesting course that opened my eyes to the Islamic faith and history as well (and with Prof Saint-Laurent one of my favorite professors!)

     Besides classes, I had the great fortune of living in a townhouse and making new friends with my new roommates and classmates.  These girls became my constant company and we loved to hangout with each other! 

     This semester we celebrated birthdays, had family dinners, watched movies, danced around, and lived the lives of crazy college students.  I could not have asked for a better set of roommates and I definitely do not want to leave!  I also made new friends this semester, (sadly not many pictures with new friends, but you must trust me, they exist!): 

     I am so looking forward to spending a semester in Spain, exploring the country and perfecting my spanish!  I will miss my friends, old and new, but I will make more in Spain.  I wish you, reader, a fantastic next semester, whether you are in college or high school or not, and always take time to make new friends where ever you go! 

Kayley

What have I been up to?

     Well it has been a long month full of exams and just general chaos, but I've loved every minute of it. Let's see where to begin:

The International Festival: this year was a fantastic one, so many fantastic performances and I got a video of the Celtic Knights performing!

The Career Symposium:  my first time going and it was an amazing experience.  The first speaker was nothing short of inspirational.  Then we got to pick 2 different panels to go to, I picked Non Profit and Governmental agencies and listen to alumni speak about their experiences in regards to job hunting etc. 

Halloween:  such a fun Halloween this year!  Spent it with my very best of friends and had a great time dancing the night away!

Homemade Pizza. Why not?

Holiday Party: WAHOO! Thank you salvation army!

Miss St. Patrick's Day and me as the Winter Spirit!



Thanksgiving Dinner: 

This is what I made: mashed potatoes with peas and scallions! Yum!!

     Well, have a safe and happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy the break

Kayley

It's that time again... for the International Festival

 

     I hope you're looking forward to the International Festival... I know I am! 

Just remember:

NOVEMBER 10 AT 5:00 P.M IN TARRANT!

Hiking Mt. Philo

Mt. Philo is an awesome mountain located real close to campus.  I think it's off of exit 13 and a bit of a drive but definitely check on that.  The hike is not too difficult and my friends and I had a ton of fun running and singing and generally acting like fools while hiking to the top.  The top has a spectacular view and here are some pictures to entice you:

my roomies and friends

my 4 fantastic roomies and me!

not quite at the top...

nope not yet...

oh yeah, this is the top!

Look at that!!!

Wow....

Our Front Porch

    One could say that college students are just big kids- and that's true in many respects.  This Saturday was absolutely beautiful, so we took advantage of the fantastic weather to hang out on our porch:

A Junior in the 400s

     I'm taking a quick homework break to blog about the 400 Townhouses!  I am a lucky junior living here with 3 other seniors and another junior.  We are all great friends and I am really going to miss these girls when I am abroad next semester.  Like all the other townhouses we have a common room, a kitchen, but unlike the other townhouses we have 2 bathrooms and 5 bedrooms.  The 3s, 2s, 1s, and 4s all have different qualities and reasons why they might be perfect for you.  Here are some pictures of what our living space looks like pre-move-in and post-move-in!


BEFORE:



AFTER: 

Why I'm so happy today...

     Today was a fantastic day!  It started off with yoga at Tarrant in Ross at 8:45-10:00 am.  If you pay $10 you get 6 classes!!! It's a fantastic deal and the best part is I share the class with only 4 other girls, I get one on one attention from the teacher and she helps me perfect the positions!  I did a handstand 2 weeks ago and today I did a back bend, 2 things I haven't done since I was little.  Needless to say, I felt wonderful after class and so loose and limber. 
     When I got back I got ready and had class- the Victorian Novel- at 12:15 with my roommate and best friend Allyson.  Class was really good as usual and after I had French.  This class is a struggle for me, not academically, but we only have 4 people in the class.  So, at times it can be very quiet and a little awkward, but I still enjoy it.  What's great about being in a small class (like most SMC classes) is that I'm never afraid to ask questions of the professor and we can get the individual help if necessary.  Today I had to lead class discussion on a small text we read for class and I think it went very well.  I was quite happy it was over because presenting is not one of my favorite things to do.
     After classes, it was nice to sit and relax in my room eating (as usual) and doing some reading for class.  At 5:30 was a Founder's Blogger meeting.  I usually enjoy these meetings because we do get dinner and they give really helpful tips and information on how to interact with YOU better!  What did I learn?  How to use titles to increase views, different helpful websites for blogging and general use, etc. 

Here's a pic to make you jelly...mmmmm Moe's 

     I also found recently that I really like the rapper Macklemore...and he's playing at Higher Ground. YAY! Well all the tickets are sold out, so that was the one downer of the day and I got soap in my eye too, but other than those 2 things my day was great!

     Later, my roomies were making dinner and made some delish homemade pizza: 



     Guess what? It looks delicious and tasted even better!!!  Enjoy life, make the best of it and remember "Falsehood is so easy, truth so difficult" -George Elliot in Adam Bede

Kayley