Thoughts of a City Girl

The World is Your Oyster...

2010-12-10T13:10:00.000-08:00

Next week, after the submission of 2 papers and the completion of 2 finals, I will officially be finished with my undergraduate career at Suffolk University.

Ok, now that you've taken a few moments to process the grandiosity of that statement, can I just say WOOOOOO! (insert curtesy here... and possibly fist pump to go with it).

I still have not found a job, but I have some good leads. My advice to anyone out there reading this, is networking is key! I have faith that everything will work out upon my return to Beantown after going home for Christmas. Suffolk has given me an excellent education as well as numerous leadership opportunities for which I will be eternally grateful. I have spent months soul searching and networking and researching possible career options-- now I just have to have faith that whatever will be, will be.

It is very bittersweet leaving... so excited for graduation and yet so sad to be ending a huge chapter in my life. Sigh. My tumult of emotions is actually more than bittersweet-- I'm a hot mess! I have yet to really cry, but I can sense that it is imminent. Right now it feels normal, I am going home for Christmas and then I'll becoming back in January. I haven't really grasped the idea that I won't be coming back to Suffolk in January... weird.

Anyway, I am not sure if I will continue blogging as an alumnae. Probably not, considering that I have been a terrible blogger as a student. But who knows? Maybe with all my free time, I will find the motivation. So, for now, I will say farewell. It has been real.

6 weeks and counting

2010-11-10T05:49:00.000-08:00

Can you believe I only have 6 weeks left of being a college student?! That is a crazy statement right there. I'm 8 weeks finished and 6 to go, which sounds like I'm just a little over halfway through but I know that the end is just going to fly. I am not prepared for this!

I have 3 major projects and an honors project all of which I haven't really started yet, or need a lot of work. Not to mention that I need to find a job... and while I'm busy networking, sending my out resume and cover letter, conducting informational interviews, and forming lists of jobs and companies I want to apply to... it still feels like I'm not prepared. Oh man, the real world may not be as glamorous as it seems.

You have to keep in mind that I'm great at complaining about my life and about being overwhelmed, but I absolutely adore everything I do. I love my classes, my job working in Admission and my internship. I'm incredibly sad to think about the possibility (read: the reality) that everything will be coming to an end very soon. It is so bittersweet-- while I desperately want to be finished with homework and studying and a crazy schedule, I'm so sad to think that everything in my life as I know it will be done in 6 weeks. It is going to be so weird not being able to do everyday Suffolk things. I've been a student for the past 16 (going on 17) years... crazy that in only 6 weeks that won't be the case anymore. It is difficult to fathom. I may be tired and cranky from having too much on my plate, and complain about it often, but the truth is I love my life and wouldn't have it any other way.

I hope it is normal for graduating seniors to be as crazy as I am. This package of feelings (fear, excitement, sadness, anxiety, enthusiasm, etc.) is nuts. I'm trying to reassure myself that my craziness is normal. Sigh, 6 weeks...

Way to Go!

2010-11-08T17:04:00.000-08:00

College Career Edge has been kind enough to give me lots of guidance and help in my career search. They were just featured in the paper. Way to go Celina, Kathy and Steve!

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/business/x1172102610/Natick-company-offers-collegians-a-job-market-edge

Check out their website:

http://www.collegecareeredge.com

Its Rainy in Boston...

2010-10-06T06:29:00.000-07:00

The past week has been full of raindrops and dreary weather... today included. Although it is certainly harder to wake up when the sun is not shining and when you are in a perpetual state of tiredness, I cannot help but love Boston in the rain. I wrote a similar post last year about the magic of Boston in the rain. Glowing street and car lights, raindrops falling on the pavement, and the mystical fog wrapping around the skyscrapers, are just some of the few descriptors of what creates the magic. I was reminded of my blog post while walking to school this morning... watching people hurrying about and realizing I still remain in awe of the magic. I cannot describe precisely what it is that makes me feel so warm and amazed by Boston in the rain. Maybe its because I love both...

So it may be dreary, I may be tired and wet, and the city may have a calmer overall attitude today... but I love rainy Boston. It is going to be a good day!

Oh geez...

2010-10-04T05:41:00.000-07:00

This is embarrassing... I devote blog posts to promising I will keep up with posting more often and then I absolutely fail to do so. June 26th was my last post and it is now October 4th... so much for that promise.

Well enough about that, might as well catch you up on what has been going on since June. I went to Japan in July. A friend of mine lived there and taught English many years ago. She has Japanese friends who she was planning on staying with. Also, she has a pilot friend who hooked her up with some highly discounted buddy passes. One day this summer she said "I'm going to Japan, do you want to come?" My initial response was that I couldn't afford it, couldn't take off work, could't just up and go to Asia on a whim. But then I realized that going to Japan at a third of the regular cost for plane tickets, staying with friends (not paying for a hotel), and getting a truly authentic Japanese experience was an opportunity that would most likely never present itself to me again. So I went to Japan!

Oh my goodness it was amazing. I would move there for a year... just to eat. The food was out of this world delicious. "Oishi" is the Japanese word for delicious and it was uttered at least 10 times daily from my mouth. I think a lot of people think that sushi is the only thing the Japanese eat, I know I hadn't given it too much thought before I went. But their cuisine is most definitely among the best in the world. I haven't been too many places, but I still think I would say that after travelling the world. It is all fresh and flavorful and exotic and cooked just right. I fell in love with udon, oni giri, okonomiyaki, yaki soba, tako yaki, soft tofu, gyoza, and the list goes on. I'm a very adventurous eater, which pleased the Japanese. I tried everything from raw egg, to raw octopus and squid, fermented soybeans and "parts of a chicken" to which I was not told which parts even after I ate it. Now I cannot get enough Japanese food. I bought a cheap rice cooker and I make all of my favorite dishes at home. I have got nothing on the Japanese, but it is still nice to have a little taste of their food here in Boston.

I also learned a lot of Japanese. We stayed with a Japanese family and only had one English translator the whole time we were there, our friend Yumi-san. So I was forced to learn a lot to interact with people. The language is so different from that of English or even of French, so I was less hesitant to try speaking it. I'm really glad because I probably have a vocabulary now of about 50-60 Japanese words, which I think is impressive for only being there for one week. It also helped me to feel more comfortable in speaking French because I realized that so long as I'm trying and I'm relatively understandable, that people will be receptive. Just as I was patient and receptive to the Japanese who tried speaking English with me.

One of my favorite aspects of the trip was just the interaction that I had with the Japanese people. They are so open and welcoming-- they make tourists feel comfortable by their openness and friendliness. People were so wonderful, it truly made me feel at home even though I definitely stood out as a foreigner. I will try to post a few pictures when I'm at my computer at home... all I can say that it was yet again, a life-changing experience. If you are considering going to Japan, GO! It is incredible and I would definitely go back soon if I had the opportunity.

Since returning to school, I have been a busy bee... I'm working in the Admission office several hours each week, I have three classes and I have an internship. My classes are all challenging this semester. I have my Global Business capstone, my Strategic Management capstone and Intermediate French. It is definitely interesting being in two capstone classes at once, everything I have learned in my four years as an undergraduate student is coming together. Part of me feels like I'm learning all the same things all over again, but then I realize that what I'm really doing is applying all of my previous knowledge to overall strategies of organizations. It definitely makes me aware of how deep and broad my knowledge of global business, general business, and marketing concepts truly is. I am amazed at my ability to recall theories, concepts and examples which are applicable to the strategies we discuss in class. It is really exciting because it makes me feel wicked smaahht!

Also, Intermediate French has been going well. My comprehension has significantly increased and my ability to think and speak on the spot has also improved greatly. I still feel sometimes like I'm struggling to keep up, but I think that is natural when learning a language. My vocabulary and grasp of the language is definitely subconscious and much broader than I think it is in my conscious state, so it always surprising to me when I say something and have no idea where it came from. I guess that is a good thing, you are supposed to just think in the language you are learning.

I also have a Public Relations Internship where I am the Donations Coordinator... at a great company! But I'm afraid to post the name of the company because we get a daily PR newsfeed where anytime the name of the company is mentioned (from radio to newspapers to blogs), it shows up in this newsfeed that is sent to the greater part of the Marketing Department. I love my internship, but I don't necessarily want to be in the newsfeed mentioning it in my blog! I'm having the time of my life-- I'm challenged, learning a lot, loving the corporate culture and having fun doing it.

So between my internship, the Admission office, and my three classes I am busy and super tired. I love everything that I'm doing and I'm enjoying most every moment of my last semester, but at the same time I'm absolutely exhausted. So I must say that it may be a while before I blog again. No more promises to be better at blogging-- under-promise and over-deliver is my hope!

Slacking

2010-06-26T17:20:00.001-07:00

Man oh man am I a slacker when it comes to keeping this blog updated! To those of you out there who are reading this (though I doubt there any) I apologize for letting this fall by the wayside... I am going to try my best to make sure this stays more current. All of that being said, you have to understand that I am the kind of person who does not even post Facebook statuses. I am strangely private about my thoughts and my life online. I say strangely only because I am one of the most talkative and open people you will ever meet in real life. I think part of it may be due to having a lack of time and energy to post my thoughts for others to see... but I'm going to try to do just that with this blog.

So, to keep up with my promise made in April, I am posting pictures from the remainder of my Morocco trip in Rabat and Marrakech. I'll have to update you on the rest of my summer in another post soon!

Casablanca & Tangier

2010-04-12T17:28:00.000-07:00

So I took over 1000 photos during my trip to Morocco, not to mention the million photos other people took... here are just a few of the best from Casablanca and Tangier. Pictures from Rabat and Marrakech to follow...

(They are in reverse order, the beginning starts at the bottom)

I promise...

2010-04-08T10:26:00.000-07:00

...pictures of Morocco to come...

My trip was amazing by the way!

Blog you later :)

The Joys of Midterms

2010-03-02T07:08:00.000-08:00

A ridiculous amount of work + No sleep + Super cranky Meg = Midterms

It is inevitable each semester... the time right before spring break and the time in late October brings all the joys college students know to be midterms. It is the time when every professor finds it appropriate to assign major projects, papers, tests and actual midterms themselves. Often what happens is the semester is just progressing along slowly and enjoyably and then boom, all of a sudden you find yourself with major work due in every class. The upside is that midterms generally are spread out over two weeks, as all professors have different deadlines. The downside is that for two weeks, sleep is minimal, the work is never ending, and the overwhelming feeling of not being able to get it all done lingers.

This week kicked off the beginning of midterms. I had a project due yesterday, a case due today, an exam tomorrow, another project due next Tuesday, a presentation on Friday, a midterm next Wednesday, and a project and two tests due when I get back from spring break. Generally speaking, this ridiculous amount of work is normal for midterms. What is different this year is that I am going to Morocco over spring break and I will be busy going on business visits and do school-like activities while I'm there. So not only do I have to finish everything that is due before spring break, but I also have to finish everything that is due after spring break before I go because I won't have the time to do it when I'm gone nor the energy to do it when I get back. In addition to all of this, I have to get ready to go fly across the world in two weeks. I've been running around making to-do lists, purchasing things I need, and making crazy phone calls about things like immunizations and health insurance. And I haven't really even begun running errands for the trip yet!

It is just all so overwhelming! I know I will make it through the next two weeks because I always do make it through midterms and I always seem to emerge victorious. But I must say that this (and finals) are truly my least favorite parts of the year. It is a true test of how much you can endure with how little sleep. Yesterday I looked at the time stamp on an email I sent in the morning when I woke up just before I went to bed, and I had been up for 19 hours running on only 5 hours of sleep from the night before. That is just wrong. Though I do have to put things into perspective... last semester I stupidly took 6 classes (one too many) and it was like midterms all the time. So I should consider myself fortunate that the rest of the semester is pretty much a piece of cake compared to these two weeks.

Ok, that is enough whining for one day. I am Morocco-bound in approximately 11 days! How amazing is that? It's incredibly amazing! Life is good :)

Quel Matin!

2010-02-26T10:44:00.000-08:00

What a morning! There has been a ridiculous amount of rain the past few days which is supposed to continue for several more. There was coastal flooding where I live in Winthrop which in turn caused terrible morning traffic. Normally it takes the bus about 15 minutes to get me to the train from my apartment. I sat on the bus for 45 minutes before even getting to the T. Crazy, I've never seen traffic so backed up in Winthrop before. Of course I had an exam in la classe de francais this morning, so I'm frantically calling mon amie to tell our professor that I would be late. With some kind of miracle I made it to class exactly on time-- the train coming very quickly after the long delay on the bus and my running to Donahue helped :) But I think I did well on my exam, so that is good news!

I realized this morning that I have exactly two weeks until I leave for Morocco on the Global Travel Seminar. That is NUTS! I am going to Africa in two weeks. WHOA. I am so not prepared-- I have not done enough reading about the culture, the sights, the food, etc. I have not familiarized myself with business and cultural etiquette. I need to go shopping for things that are essential, and not so essential. Like a new spring coat and a few more skirts. But also essential things like a new memory card for my camera, a lot of hand sanitizer, and a watch since I will be leaving my cell phone in the States. I need to think about what I'm going to wear, what suitcases I need to bring, what I am going to do about power outlet converters, and the list goes on. I also have to find time to watch Casablanca before I go because it has been a couple of years since I've seen it. On top of all of that, I need to figure out hygiene stuff since I'll be going to Morocco, not Europe, and how the water will affect me. AH I'm so unprepared. But I'm so freaking excited!!!!

I have a lot to do before I go for my other classes. It seems like every professor threw a midterm, project or paper at us this week, all due before spring break. I'm trying to find the time to do all of those, and do them well, in addition to reading about Morocco and preparing to go to another continent in two weeks. For the first month of the semester I was extremely relaxed, and not necessarily the most productive. Partly because everything substantial I've had until this point is due in the next two weeks. Of course, as I'm learning the art of procrastination, I've left all the research and work I could have been doing since the semester began for these two weeks. Stupid. Don't let it happen to you!

But all of my stress doesn't matter too much if you put things into perspective because I'm going to Morocco in two weeks! I am going to Africa in 14 days! AHHHHH so exciting!

Dance, Sing, Floss and Travel

2010-02-09T07:04:00.000-08:00

Two weekends ago was the Dynamic Women in Business Conference at Harvard. We had eight Suffolk students attend which I thought was a great turnout. Most of the people at the conference were graduate students at the Harvard Business School, professionals, and students from the area. There were three keynote speakers as well as many panelists, most of whom were excutives or high-level managers in their companies.

It was such a wonderful opportunity for our Suffolk students to be able to attend this event. We started early in the morning meeting at the Harvard Square T station and headed over to the Harvard Business School for breakfast. The morning keynote speaker was supposed to be the CEO of the (Red) campaign, but she was unable to make it on account of illness, so the President of the Baking Division at General Mills, Ann Simonds, stepped up to the plate. Then there were two morning panels. Each atendee had a choice of eight panels for each session they could attend.

I chose "Work and Life Balance" and "Social Entrepreneurship" as my morning panels. The panel on work and life balance had five highly successful women in the professional world, including one of the Vice Presidents of Merrill Lynch and of Deloitte, all with families and children of their own. One really interesting thing I learned from this panel was that there is no such thing as a work-life balance because work is part of your life. Instead, it should be called work-life integration. I thought it was an interesting way to think about it.

The panel on social entrepreneurship was composed of four women, all the presidents and CEOs of the socially responsible companies they founded. One of the most interesting aspects of this panel watching the passion and persistence these women have as entrepreneurs. They spoke about challenges as "joyful" and had a demeanor that was persistently positive and optimistic. One panels was the founder of UniversalGiving which is a website that allows people to donate to nonprofits without UniversalGiving taking a cut from it. The founder was in her late 20s and almost annoyingly peppy, but she had this quote that I really liked:

"Love without truth is hypocrisy, but truth without love is brutality."

She spoke about how she comes from a stable loving family which has made it difficult for her to deal with conflict. This resonated with me because I come from a stable family and have a lot of issues dealing with conflict. Generally I avoid it by letting myself get walked on rather than dealing with it. But Suffolk group projects have really helped me to deal with that as they have forced me to deal with conflict in my everyday dealings with my classmates because group projects have a direct impact on my grade. It was also reassuring to see that such a young woman could be so successful while struggling with the same challenges that I struggle with.

The afternoon keynote speaker was the CEO of The Limited and the afternoon panel I attended was on Marketing. The brand managers and vice presidents of brand promotion for that panel included women from LARABAR, Coca Cola, and Ben & Jerry's. But my favorite speaker was the last keynote, Christine Day, the CEO of lululemon athletica. She worked for years for Starbucks and then recently took up the position with lululemon. Her speech was bascially her life's story which was inspiring and real. I cannot sum it up into words that would do it justice, but I can relate my favorite line which was, "This is not my practice life, this is my life." I hope that I can live by this every day. My life is not practice, what I do every day should be done seizing all opporutnities and enjoying every moment because all you have is your life. You don't get the time for a trial run before the real thing. Taking risks and going on adventures and savoring every moment is essential because it is not practice, it is your life.

Brrrrrrrr its cold...

2010-01-29T10:32:00.000-08:00

There must be some Toros in the atmoshpere! Just kidding, that's totally an old school joke. So its like 15 degrees outside feels like negative 2... and I am an icicle. I had class this morning and then went to yoga and I'm pretty sure I got frost bite walking from campus to the North End while wearing two pairs of socks. These are the days that make 30 degree days feel like the summertime. My friends in Maryland say I'm crazy for thinking 30 degrees is warm, but they have not experienced this level of bone-chilling cold. I know I sound overly dramatic, but when you can't expand your lungs to the full capacity because the air is so dense, it is cold enough to be dramatic!

I am currently in the process of planning a group of Suffolk Women in Business members to go to the annual Dynamic Women in Business Conference. We went last year with a small group of girls and had a fabulous time! The conference is hosted by the Harvard Business School and there are local as well as national students and professionals that attend. They have keynote speakers, specialized topic panels and networking opportunities. This year the keynote speakers include the CEO of lululemon athletica, the CEO of the (Red) campaign, and the President of the banking division of General Mills. Some of the panel topics in addition to industry topics (finance, marketing, etc). include: women leaders, work/life balance, dynamic duos and diversity. The event is really great because it provides a lot of opportunities for learning and networking outside of the classroom with well-connected professionals in the Boston area.

I am really excited about hearing the CEO of lululemon speak! I cannot afford anything in that store, but I love going in there and looking at all the beautiful yoga attire. I also love that the employee uniforms are yoga clothing. That would just be the best and most comfortable job ever! They actually offer free yoga classes on Sunday mornings but getting all the way to the Prudential Center before 10:00 am on a Sunday morning just doesn't seem like something I could do. I am also really excited about hearing the CEO of the (RED) campaign speak. I wrote a paper on the campaign and the Global Fund. As a marketing student I feel like I have a higher appreciation for the huge success and innovative strategy of that campaign. The conference is next Saturday so I will have to keep you updated on how it goes.

Hopefully my frost-bitten feet will be able to survive until then :)

Welcome back!

2010-01-27T13:57:00.000-08:00

Vacation is officially over... though it was fun while it lasted! The day I was supposed to leave to go home DC got a blizzard with two feet of snow. My flight was supposed to leave that morning around 10:00 am. I received a phone call from Southwest at 6:00 in the morning informing me that my flight was canceled and when I tried calling back, the wait time to talk to a representative was over 2 hours! I think the issue was that it was a few days before Christmas and everyone traveling to the East Coast had their flights canceled. Boston was expecting the same blizzard the next day and I was worried that Logan would be closed or that I would be on standby waiting for a plane for days after Christmas. So I took Amtrack home two days later, and my train was delayed... but I did finally make it home! My theme song of that weekend was "I'll be home for Christmas."

This was the first break from school that I didn't work. While it was nice having a whole month off to do nothing but socialize and relax, it also got really boring. The first two weeks were blissful. But after two weeks I didn't know what to do with myself. Being bored is overrated. I did some really fun things though-- hung out a lot with old friends, went to the Baltimore Aquarium, went to a fancy jazz brunch in an old art deco hotel in DC, spent time in Annapolis swooning over Naval Academy Midshipmen, and all the other usual Maryland stuff... I had a wonderful vacation!

Now I'm back and trying very hard to be productive but finding it very difficult to do so. A month of vacation + growing senioritis = me only having two more semesters left until graduation. Look I can do math! And at that statement, it is obvious that it has been a long day and I'm tired, so I will blog you later :)

And done... well, almost

2009-12-16T09:56:00.000-08:00

I'm such a slacker when it comes to keeping up with blogging. The last time I wrote was before Thanksgiving, almost a whole month ago. So I'll catch you up with what has been going on since.

I went home for Thanksgiving-- the flight by myself turned out to be just fine. I was able to stream some of the Macy's parade footage onto my laptop in the airport. But it was this website called earthcam so the view and the sound were not ideal. I complained a lot beforehand about having to be alone for the first half of Thanksgiving, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I got to take a nap on the plane and when I got home my mom had warm homemade cinnamon rolls ready for me to eat. I ate way too much for dinner, as usual, and was overly-hungry the next day. We have a traditional wood stove at my house that burns real firewood. My dad made a fire after dinner and we sat, watched the fire and relaxed. I really do have so much to be thankful for in my life. My family and friends are incredible blessings. I go to a school that I love in a city that I adore. My work as an Admission Ambassador is so rewarding. It's so cheesy and cliche but I really do love everything about my life! Sometimes taking the time to appreciate what you have is exactly what you need to help you stop complaining :)

The following week I celebrated my birthday, the big 21! We had some fun festivities in the Faneuil Hall area to celebrate. The next day was the lighting ceremony of the Boston Common Christmas tree and lights. After my night class, I went with a friend of mine to the ceremony. Except we thought that it was supposed to begin at 5:00. It didn't actually begin until 8:00. After an hour or so, we figured that out. So we met up with friends, including some Ambassadors, and went ice skating on the Frog Pond. One of our Ambassadors, TJ, actually works at the Frog Pond. I had no idea how skilled he is on the ice! The funniest part of being there is watching all the people fall. It's terrible that I find humor in others' embarrassment. But it's funny and I find just as much amusement in my own embarrassment! You have to. There was this one little boy who wiped out and laid on his back for a good minute before his mother came over to rescue him. He wasn't crying or anything. I think he was just laying there in utter shock. Since we were busy skating, we missed the actual ceremony part of the lighting. I hear that Brian McKnight performed. It's ironic that we waited all that time for the ceremony to begin and only noticed it had when the whole Common lit up and fireworks went off.

The following weekend I went home again. My friend, Gina, who I have known since I was six months old, is pregnant and due at the end of the month. It was her baby shower and I absolutely could not miss it. The theme was a Winter Wonderland and the weather was perfect because it was also the first snowfall in Maryland that day. I was completely unprepared for snow. I figured that going home to Maryland for three days during the first week in December would be cold, but no chance of snow. Though I own three different pairs of snow boots, all I brought home was heels and ballet flats. Of course it wasn't just flurries or a dusting, it was an accumulation of at least two inches. Those of you from New England, two- four inches does not sound like much. While it isn't much, the capabilities of cleaning up snow are far less advanced in Maryland so it take a lot longer to get it cleaned up. My feet were wet and freezing the entire time I was home. I just felt so silly because I'm the one who lives in Boston-- I should be the one who knows how to dress properly for snow.

The baby shower was so much fun! It was held at Gina's mom's house. Three of Gina's girlfriends including myself helped to host it and make sure everything ran smoothly. Of course we ran into some bumps in the road, literally. The cake fell over in my friend's car and she arrived at the house in tears with a cake looking like someone had punched it. Luckily we were able to fix the damage, after a lot of added icing. Cake disaster aside, the day went really well. It is so good be around family and old friends. Good times!

I came back for four crazy days of the last week of class. A test, a paper for a project, presentation, and a performance of a skit for French was a lot to get through after two weekends of flying back and forth. But I survived and was able to celebrate at Suffolk's Winter Ball. Every semester one of our student organizations, Program Council, puts on a semi-formal event for undergraduate students. This semester the venue was at the top of State Street Pavilion overlooking Faneuil Hall, the Customs House tower and most of Boston. One of the best views of Boston and it was absolutely breathtaking. Almost every Ambassador came to the dance (I will put up pictures next time I'm on my computer at home). It was so much fun! We danced the night away :)

Which brings me to this week-- finals. I had four finals total. Normally I have a mix of presentations, projects and finals and never have to sit down for more than two finals. This semester I all the above: presentations, projects, papers and four finals! Three are already finished and I have one left tomorrow. I cannot wait until that is over. I am so exhausted-- this semester has been a whirlwind of activities. I feel like I was just blogging about beginning all of my classes. It is unreal to me how quickly time has flown and that the semester will be over tomorrow! People always say that time moves much faster when you get older. I never believed them until now. What is even crazier to think about is that this time next year I will be graduated from college and setting off into "the real world." That is a scary thought... so we will just leave that be and instead be excited about going home for winter break.

I head home to Maryland on Saturday for a whole month. I love being home for Christmas and New Years! It will be so nice to spend time with my family and friends at home. I will be sure to post Winter Ball pictures... until then wish me luck on my last final. I'll blog you next year :) I've always found that joke to be so cheesy yet quite funny!

Thanksgiving Plans

2009-11-24T07:12:00.000-08:00

In my entire college experience, I have not yet gone home to Maryland for Thanksgiving. My first year I stayed in Boston and had dinner with my aunts and uncle. My brother also came up to celebrate with us. My sophomore year I went to Florida to visit my dad's side of the family. That Thanksgiving was interesting because when I left Boston it was snowing and when I arrived in Florida it was 80 degrees. We had dinner outside on the patio next to the pool. Not quite a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Last year the semester ended so early that it seemed silly to go home for Thanksgiving and then come back a week later for winter break. So I went to Vermont with my aunt, uncle and his family. My uncle's dad used to be the executive chef for the Blair House (which is where international guests of the White House stay when they are on official visits to DC). He made us dinner which was absolutely incredible! It was very quaint-- we stayed in a friend's log cabin on a mountain with only a few surrounding houses and a general store down the street. We got to sit in the hot-tub while it was snowing outside around us. So amazing.

This is the first year that I am going to Maryland to have Thanksgiving dinner in my own house. It is going to be kind of strange though because my flight schedule is really weird this year. It was going to cost over $300 to bring me home from Wednesday through Sunday. So I am flying home Thursday morning (arriving around noon) and then flying back on Saturday morning at the crack of dawn. I suppose it will be nice to miss the crowds and the chaos that is Thanksgiving travel, but I feel really strange about flying home by myself on Thanksgiving. I always fly by myself-- at least 5 times a year I am on a plane alone. It is weird to me when I actually do travel with people. But it seems like it is going to be so lonely on Thanksgiving morning! I know that a lot of people travel on Thanksgiving day, but generally they have family or friends with them. I can't have mom's traditional homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast, I won't be able to watch the parade, and I will be all by myself :(

But at least I should be thankful for the fact that I am blessed with a family who I love so much that I can go home to on the holidays. A lot of people don't have that. Maybe the travelling situation is not ideal, but I will be fine because I have so many things to be grateful for!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Thanksgiving Dinner with the Ambassadors

2009-11-22T13:10:00.000-08:00

Kristin had all the Ambassadors over this weekend for "Not your average Thanksgiving dinner" at her apartment in the North End. We each were responsible for bringing a dish. We had baked ziti, sushi, salad, eggplant parm, mashed potatoes and garlic bread. I made a regular cheesecake and a pumpkin cheesecake (which was an experiment but it turned out deliciously). Chris made a cake and put all of our initials on it. There were only a few Ambassadors that couldn't make it. We all got dressed up and had dinner together and took lots of funny prom-like pictures. It was so much fun! Ambassador Love <3

Prior to Thanksgiving dinner, Delia and I went to the annual tree lighting ceremony in Faneuil Hall. Wally the Green Monster, the Red Sox mascot was there as well as Santa. Apparently the tree at Faneuil hall is the tallest lit Christmas tree in New England!

The one below is my favorite! All (or most of) the Ambassador girls which now includes Andrew, naturally. He came to our Ambassador girl sleepover a few weeks ago and has been included in that group since :)

Playing catch up

2009-11-16T08:36:00.000-08:00

It seems like I haven't blogged in forever! A lot has happened... well a lot and not a lot at the same time...

We had Open House on Saturday which was great! There is one day of the year that is guaranteed to rain from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm, and that is Open House day. I can't even remember a time that I was more wet, I haven't even ever been that wet in the shower! But it was one of those things where I decided in the beginning of the day that I was going to be wet and I was going to love it! And I do think Boston is magical in the rain, so I must admit that I did sincerely enjoy it to some degree. I was really surprised at the turnout and the general enthusiasm for the day. Although the weather could be described as dismal, prospective students and their families were excited to be on campus and to be learning about our programs. Usually people are miserable when they come for tours in the rain, but everyone was in a decent mood.

I was chosen to speak at the Welcomes-- first in the C. Walsh Theater and then in the Donahue Cafe. The theater seats between 300 and 400 people, so I can honestly say that has been my biggest audience to date. I was really nervous beforehand, but everything went really well. I was very proud of myself. As cheesy as it sounds, I enjoy reaching out to students by sharing my experience with them. When I was going through my college search, talking to other students about their experiences was the most important decision factor for me. It is nice to be able to do that for others.

Thanksgiving is next week which seems unreal. I am always saying this, but I cannot believe how quickly the semester has flown by. I went window shopping the other day with my friend and we stopped in this Christmas store. Although I am so not ready for the holiday season yet, I must admit that I got really excited! A further confession, I had an eggnog latte the other day. It wasn't even that cold out and it isn't even Thanksgiving yet, but I really wanted one. It was delicious and definitely gave me some holiday cheer. I know it is ridiculous that I base my feelings about the changing of seasons on Starbucks' seasonal beverages. But what can I say? There is nothing like a pumpkin spice latte in the fall or an eggnog latte in the winter or a flavored iced coffee in the summer... Yay! It's almost winter break :)

Halloween and Such

2009-11-05T07:28:00.000-08:00

So I must admit that I'm fairly new at this whole blogging thing. I tried uploading these photos aligned left instead of center (the way I normally do it) and this post looks like a hot mess! And I'm not sure how to go about fixing it other than deleting all the pictures and starting from scratch. That seems like way too much effort... so I hope you enjoy the mess of pictures and I promise I will make it better next time!

I spent Halloween in Salem with my aunts. We did a corn maze the night before which was fun. I've never done one before. At first we thought it was too easy, but when we got royally lost I realized how creepy it is to be surrounded by dead stalks of corn at night with only one flashlight for five people. It is really nice that my aunts live in Salem because when we got tired of all the crazies on the street, we could go back to their apartment to hang out.

My costume this year was very lame-- I just wasn't feeling the excitement of dressing up this year. Although I'm from Maryland, I am through and through a Red Sox fan. For Halloween I wore a pink Orioles hat and my aunt's sweatshirt and went as an O's fan. I made a sign that said 2010 World Series Champs with the zeros in the 2010 the orange O's logo. Lame, but it was easy and cost me no money. It's funny because when I told my friends in Maryland what I was going to be, the reaction I mainly got was resentment that my costume was mocking. But when I told New Englanders that I was going to be an O's fan, pretty much none of them got it. Most of them didn't even realize I was talking about the Baltimore Orioles. It is so sad that Maryland sports are terrible-- one day they will triumph :) In the meantime, New Englanders will fail to understand the pain that MD goes through and I will continue to be a Red Sox and Celtics fan! Anyway, the best part of going to Salem is just looking at all the crazy costumes and decorations out there. People are so creative on Halloween, I love it!

On Tuesday the Program Council at Suffolk put on an event at the House of Blues on Landsdowne Street. Sean Kingston and Girl Talk performed just for Suffolk students. Tickets were only $15! It was a lot of fun. There were glow sticks and confetti and dancing. I didn't know who Girl Talk was prior to going to the concert. He is this insane DJ who started off mixing music and was shortly thereafter discovered in New York City. He was nuts! And he had some really awesome (and I mean hilarious) dance moves. It was a good time-- I saw a lot of ambassadors and my other friends there. I love going to these Suffolk events because there are so many people there who you know. It makes it all the more fun! I always love a good dance party :)

Wedding Weekend

2009-10-27T21:25:00.000-07:00

My aunt got married this weekend in Brewster on the Cape. It was a small wedding-- just immediate family were invited. My parents, brother, two aunts and cousin all came up from Maryland for the weekend. And they all stayed in our apartment. It was a bit of a tight squeeze, but manageable. I went down to the Cape a day early with the happy couple to help decorate the house for the reception. It was actually my first trip ever to the Cape. It may have just been Brewster, but I was surprised at how much it was not like a beach town but more like suburban New England.

The wedding was at Paine's Creek beach on Sunday morning. We were so blessed with beautiful weather. It was windy which made it a bit chilly, but for late October on the Cape it was considerably warm and beautifully sunny. I was designated as the official photographer of the wedding since it was so small they didn't want to hire one. I used my old-fashioned 35 mm Nikon. These are a few of the shots that turned out really well.

The dogs were all invited to the wedding because it was on the beach. It did mean some chaos of barking, whining, and general dogs on the beach issues, but I think they enjoyed themselves :) Below are pictures of me with my youngest cousin Zac. He is young enough to be my nephew so I'm never really sure of how to refer to him. My uncle has taken to calling me his "Caunt" combining cousin and aunt, and of course pronouncing it the true Maryland way [Can't].

The other picture is all of the Smith cousins. On the left is my brother and on the right is my cousin, Gage. The funniest part of the picture is that they are both years younger, I'm wearing heels, and yet they are towering over me! I remember when people would tell me when I was a kid that my brother would be bigger than me one day. I never believed that was ever going to be possible. But a few years ago I had to start referring to him as my "younger brother" because people would laugh when I called him my "little brother."

My aunt and uncle that I live with made the cake. Isn't it incredible?! The cake itself was butter, butter and more butter. Delicious! Then they used homemade butter cream frosting and fondant and somehow got the flower to look like a gorgeous extension. My aunt is so sweet, she saved the extra frosting for me so I've been having a spoonful here and there the past few days. I love weddings!

Halfway there!

2009-10-21T09:12:00.000-07:00

It's almost the end of October and this is the week for midterms, academic advising, and lots of project deadlines. I cannot believe that I've been in school for two months already. It seems like I just came back last week. Time flies when you're busy!

My sixth class, Management 200: Leadership and Social Responsibility ended on Friday. It was a one credit intensive that only met three times during the semester. The purpose of the course was to come up with a solution for a huge consulting project problem. It was a lot of work in a very short period of time. It feels like such a relief to have it finished! Not having to worry about that additional class has taken me from being absolutely overwhelmed to having a completely manageable workload. I had a total of four midterms this week. Two down and only two more to go! I've been telling myself since the begininng of the semester that if I can get through this week, it will be a miracle. And good news is, I'm halfway through the week, halfway through the semester and I still here! The rest of the semster should be a piece of cake :)

But no worries, I am still finding time to have a social life admist all this school work. Last weekend some of my friends from Maryland came up to visit. We went to Salem and did all sorts of Halloween activities. One of my aunts lives in Salem so I'm generally familiar with layout when walking around. I still managed to get us lost on our way from the Salem Common to the oldest candy store in the United States and the House of Seven Gables. Lost, shmost (is that how you would spell it? I'm not sure it's kinda more of a phonetic expression than a written one)-- anyway, it just added to my friends' experience of seeing historic Salem! We did a candlelit walking tour about ghosts, drank apple cider, got our palms read and did all the other fun things you do in Salem in October.

I've never had any sort of witchcraft reading done before, so getting my palm read was a first. Obviously I'm not a real believer in all of that stuff, but it was really interesting what the witch said to me. She told me that I have great influence over people when I speak (even if I don't know what I'm talking about), I have really high intellectual capabilities, and that I will be doing a lot of travelling in my future career. All of these things could be applied to anyone, but what was interesting was that she said I would go into Marketing. I didn't tell her that I'm a Marketing major. Kind of weird... perhaps even spooky! The funniest thing she told me was that I'm "restless as Hell." I found this so amusing because it's absolutely true. I love change and new adventures whenever possible. Again, I'm not convinced about palm reading and witchcraft, but it was fun nevertheless.

Next weekend my aunt is getting married on the Cape. I have a whole bunch of family coming into town for it. Should be a little chaotic but really fun. We have a total of ten people staying in our apartment with only one bathroom and it is a morning wedding. I'm so excited to see my family and my dog (my parents are bringing him up). I will have to write about the madness that ensues next week!

Web Chat

2009-10-20T12:32:00.000-07:00

Last week Jack and I participated in a College Week Live video chat. College Week Live is like a virtual college fair where students can go online to get information about college, chat with admission counselors, and watch streamed video of college students speaking about their school. Jack and I were those students speaking about Suffolk!

It was really fun but kind of weird. Jack did all of the technical work of setting up the webcam while I decorated the wall to make it seem spirited since I'm completely clueless when it comes to technology. The video chat was half-an-hour, a combination of us talking about our experience at Suffolk and answering student questions. It was kind of strange not only being on camera and knowing that prospective students I couldn't see were watching me, but also strange watching myself talk on the computer screen for 30 minutes. Needless to say, I don't think I'll ever become an actress.

It was really fun though! My favorite part of the whole experience was that I heard an ad on the radio the day before announcing College Week Live. The ad said, "All kinds of colleges will be there, like Suffolk University..." It was exciting because basically the radio was advertising me and Jack! Fun little moment of fame :)

Something magical

2009-10-13T11:37:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning to the sound of rain on my window. It was gray and cloudy. And yet I knew it was going to be a good day!

So many people get down and depressed when it is raining. There is never a comment like "Oh it's a beautiful day outside" when it rains. Although I don't always enjoy dealing with frizzy hair or wet feet, I love the rain. I particularly love Boston in the rain.

There is something so magical about Boston in the rain. A gray haze settles over the city. Often there is fog that surrounds and circulates the tops of the skyscrapers. Umbrellas, rain boots and hooded jackets can be seen everywhere. The streets are not as full. The people in the streets are either scurrying to get to anywhere that is dry or they are slowly walking and accepting their wet fate. The city, although hazy, seems illuminated as car lights turn on and the lights in buildings seems to glow more brightly. The rain drops hit the many puddles in the road with a constant fascinating rhythm.

I can't put my finger on what exactly makes it all so magical, but the rain transforms Boston into such an enchanting place. I absolutely adore being out in the rain, soaking it all in! No pun intended :)

Coffee please...

2009-10-08T12:12:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it is already the beginning of October! I'm really excited because my Management 200 course on nonprofit organizations is going to be finished as of next Friday! My European Union class will be finished as of the end of October. It is an exciting thought that in one month I will only have four classes to worry about for two whole months. I have never had as few as four classes, I don't know what I will do with all of my spare time!

I am beginning to realize the extent to which I am crazy. It's obvious that I've been crazy for a while, a known fact since high school. But I was up until 4:45 in the morning doing homework last night! Someone please tell me what is wrong with me. To my defense, I did take a nap for an hour between 9:00 and 10:00 and I slept in until 10:00 this morning. But still, I don't procrastinate (or I minimally do) so I'm not sure why I have to put in such long nights to keep up.

Part of the problem is my schedule. I have four evening classes and one morning class and work in between. I don't get home until after 8:00 every evening, so I don't start my homework until late. My advice to any student, especially freshman, is to stay away from evening classes as much as possible. One or two is fine, but four is too much.

I love school and most all of my classes, but I'm really tired. But in one week I will be so much less crazy, I might even be considered normal. What a thought :) Coffee Please!

Quite the accomplishment

2009-09-29T18:25:00.000-07:00

Over the summer I moved from my apartment in Brookline to an apartment in Winthrop. I have lived with my aunt and uncle (who are 30 and 31) for a little over two years now. I moved in with them after my freshman year because they are still young and needed help with rent. It was the perfect situation because I needed roommates and help with rent as well.

I have lived in Boston for three years and one summer (I just say 4 years) in five different places. When I stayed for a summer before my senior year in high school I lived with my aunt and uncle on Beacon Street in Brookline near Coolidge Corner. Then I lived in the residence halls my first year of college, another apartment near Coolidge Corner, an apartment near Brookline Village, and now an apartment in Winthrop. I moved from each place for good reasons like saving money, or the landlord was selling, etc. I really do enjoy change in life and new adventures (which moving to a new place every year brings much of) but I hate moving! It's stressful and expensive and exhausting. What's funny is that I also don't forsee myself living in Winthrop for more than one year.

Anyway, my aunt and uncle had a baby in March and were looking for more room and to save money we moved over the summer to this three-bed apartment which is actually half of a house. Winthrop is east of East Boston and is in some ways your quintessential beach town. I live a five minute walk from this tiny little very New England beach. So getting to the whole point of this story...

My room was painted this mustard yellow color with bronze sponged on top. It was kind of a Tuscan look. Unfortunately everything I own is black and white. My bed is black, desk is white and everything else is black and white themed. I love the b&w prints of various scenes in Paris, pictures of old movie stars (especially Audrey) and other pictures of old. Naturally I have plenty of them to decorate with.

So the Tuscan look was not only a bit dark for my tastes, but also didn't go with anything I own. So I decided to paint! It was my first painting project all by myself so I was really nervous that I wasn't going to be able to pull it off. I always feel really uncomfortable when walking into a hardware store because I feel like I'm that girl with big sunglasses who is trying to explain her fix-it problem in girl language. But lucky for me, my dad is super knowledgable when it comes to painting so he walked me through all the details of what I needed.

My aunt and uncle went away for the weekend, so I was truly all by myself painting. First I painted everything a flat white color to cover up the dark gold and brown.

I painted in dingy clothes and bare feet. According to some of the Ambassadors, painting without shoes on is weird. But my point of view is 1). No shoes is way more comfortable, and 2). Why would I waste a perfectly good pair of shoes by getting paint on them when I can just wash paint off myself? The only problem with no shoes is that I'm ridiculously clumsy and dripped paint all over the place. My feet evidence this. Kind of a gross picture, I know.

This is the finished product! Doesn't it look beautiful!? Not bad for a first time painter, if I do say so myself. Thanks Dad for teaching me so well!

The only thing I didn't get done this weekend was my closet (and the unfortunately small-sized closet I have). That will be a project for another weekend. But I must say that I feel like this was quite the accomplishment. It was my first hands-on, fix-it kind of project and I did it all by myself. It made me feel capable and independent. I'm sure I'll have many fix-it projects in my future and it is so comforting to know that I can do what I set my mind to. I don't forsee myself fixing any plumbing problems in the near future, but at least I know I can paint a room :)

It's officially fall

2009-09-24T11:21:00.000-07:00

September 21st has come and gone... its officially fall! I love the fall but I'm not quite ready for it yet. I was reading in the newspaper yesterday that this summer was the second wettest July in Boston's history. It seems ironic to me that the one summer that I choose to stay in Boston instead of going home to Maryland, and the one summer that I move to an apartment that is a five minute walk from the beach, is one of the coldest and wettest in Boston's history.

Considering that I have porcelin skin and the word "tan" is not even in my vocabulary, not having a lot of beach time wasn't that disappointing. Apparently it was a wet summer in Annapolis too so I didn't miss much. But regardless of all of that, I feel like I haven't had enough time in the warm weather to wear all my skirts and dresses! It sounds so girly and ridiculous, but I'm not ready to be wearing jeans on a regular basis yet.

There are always signs of the onset of fall. The turning of leaves, the cooler air, the annual Boston events (Head of the Charles, walk for Breast Cancer, Halloween festivities in Salem...) and the release of the pumpkin-spice latte at Starbucks. I love the pumpkin-spice latte-- it is the perfect warm-you-up drink on a chilly fall day. But I can't even begin to think about being ready to drink yet.

Hopefully I will be ready for fall sooner rather than later. I certainly don't want to miss it. I did have some pumpkin butter on my english muffin the other day, so I guess that is a step in the right direction.

And another year begins...

2009-09-21T10:36:00.000-07:00

Every year when the beginning of school comes, I am both excited for another year and sad to see the summer go. This year my feeling was completely different. I spent the summer in Boston waiting tables at a local bar. While it was fun, it also grew tiresome. In mid-July I was ready for classes to start. I was excited to get back into the rhythm of classes, working in the Admission office, and mostly just being productive with my time. "Is it September yet?" was my most common phrase this summer.

Now that it is September and it is week three of classes, I'm saying "Is it winter break yet?" It's always hard to go from doing nothing but working and relaxing for four months to taking six classes. Don't get me wrong-- I love school and I love learning about the fascinating topic of Global Business that is my major... but I don't always love reading four chapters of unexciting text books before class. I think I may be developing a small case of senioritis which is not good considering that I have three semesters left before graduation! Of course, senioritis for me is not the typical malady that one hears about it. It is more like not doing all the reading before class or not going above and beyond to be ahead of the game (instead of on time) with assignments. But still-- it is kind of throwing me for a loop.

My being a slacker aside, my classes this semester are really interesting. I am taking French 101 which is so much fun. I took five years of French in middle school and high school so this is a refresher course for me. My Global Business major requires that I take one year of a foreign language. I went to Paris in May of 2008 and I never wanted to come home. Had my language skills been better, I may not have. The problem with my French education in high school was that it focused primarily on reading and writing. The college approach to languages is completely different. The professor focuses on our pronunciation (repetez apres moi) and our ability to listen which I think will actually teach me how to speak French. So be prepared for some franglais in future blogging entries :)

I am also taking Business Finance, Intro to International Business, The European Union, Marketing Research, and Management & Social Responsibility. Most of them are fairly self-explanatory. The European Union is a Griffin challenge course that runs for six weeks. It is about the history, evolution, economic and political environment of the EU. I am really enjoying it especially since one of my future career dreams is to work with the EU and business in the European sector.

Management & Social Responsibility is a one credit course that only meets three times during the semester. It is a core requirement for all business students that deals with nonprofits. In the class we are split into seven-person teams. Our goal is to act as a consulting team by proposing a solution to a problem to a real nonprofit in the Boston area. My class is working on solving a volunteer problem for The Boston Living Center, a nonprofit that provides support services for people living with HIV and AIDS. We have one month to put together a client report and prepare a presentation for the executives of the BLC. The great part about this class is that it gives Suffolk students the experience of doing real consulting work while being able to make a difference in the community. The not so great part about the class is that we have a lot of work to do in a very short period of time. But I think this will be a really excellent learning opportunity for me.

In addition to being a bit crazy with six classes, readjusting to my school schedule, and working in the admission office, I am also painting my room. I moved into a new apartment over the summer and the current color of my room is mustard with a bronze sponged on top. I have chosen a coral/cream color as a brighter and more appealing option. It is my first painting project all by myself and I'm not sure I totally know what I'm doing. But I have faith that I can do it and that it will be fabulous!

Another school years begins and I am busier than ever... A bientot!

A Glimpse of my Summer

2009-09-13T18:33:00.000-07:00

As the first week of my senior year has already come and gone, I am amazed at how quickly time passes. It feels like just yesterday I was a senior in high school preparing for the big world of college. I can't believe that now I'm beginning to prepare for the real world!

I stayed in Boston this summer and worked waiting tables at a local bar. I went home to Maryland twice though for a visit. I think the best way is to show you a few glimpses of what I did through pictures...

The pictures are out of order, but I think it is more fun that way

The Boston skyline from the view of a boat in Boston Harbor visiting the Harbor Islands

The State House in Annapolis, Maryland-- my favorite stomping ground.

On the Harbor Island Ferry boat

Visiting my friend at school in Frederick, Maryland

We watched the sunset from the top of a mountain overlooking

Middletown, Maryland

Although this was absolutely beautiful... I'm such a city girl! Dresses, ballet flats and mountain trails aren't the best mix.

Some of my fellow Ambassadors-- Allison, Chris and I went to visit Kristin in Connecticut for her birthday. Her parents got us a limo!

Trying to make SU-- GO RAMS!

Allison and I did not plan on matching pajamas... we just love Suffolk that much!

When the weather was nice, I had a lot of picnics with the girls I worked with. This was in the Fens.

On the Fourth of July enjoying the fireworks. I was all about the flowers in my hair this summer.

On the beach in Fort Myers, Florida.

My brother came to visit after he graduated from high school. Here we are with our new cousin (and future Suffolk student) in the Public Garden.

Oh my!

2009-05-02T19:17:00.000-07:00

Time has flown by! I cannot believe that I just finished my first year at Suffolk. Junior year, supposedly the hardest year, is over. Thank goodness! And although I am so ready for summer and a break from school work, I am sad that half of my time at Suffolk is already over. I guess that is one of the downsides of being a transfer student. But it seems strange that the end of the semester has already come and gone. I sort of feel like I should be going back to school next week.

I went with some of our other ambassadors (Kristin, Chris, Nick and Allison) to the Spring Ball the Friday before finals. We had such a great time! We took a bunch of ridiculous prom-like pictures before at Kristin's apartment in the North End. Nick was so sweet and bought all the ladies roses. Then we went to the Royal Sonesta hotel in Cambridge for the ball. They served a really nice dinner and raffled off finals survival kits. Of course none of us won anything. But I'm one of those people who, at my own prom in high school, was one of like six people who did not win something at the after prom party. C'est la vie. So then we dance for a while. I had such a wonderful time! I love to dance. "Just Dance" is my theme song to life right now.

I don't know how much I'll be blogging this summer since I'll be working. But hopefully I'll keep you posted on the ongoings of my summer in Boston!

The last stretch

2009-04-23T06:26:00.001-07:00

Today is my last day of class! After a presentation, case study, final paper, and 100 question final, I'm done! Although I love learning and I adore going to Suffolk, I'm so ready for it to be summer.

An actual profound thought

2009-04-14T10:34:00.000-07:00

This is a follow up to a previous post...

I just started reading a book about Eleanor Roosevelt , and besides it being about a woman whom I find completely fascinating, the beginning is a bit much. There is a foreward, an introduction, an author's note and a prolouge. How many introductions can one book have? Isn't there some kind of book etiquette which dictates these sorts of things?

How 'bout them Celtics!

2009-04-02T12:23:00.000-07:00

I went to my first Celtics game last week. I got a call from my uncle to tell me that the person he was going with couldn't make and inquiring if I wanted to go. "Absolutely!" was my answer. Once I hung up the phone it occured to me that the call came on April 1st. So I called him right back to say that it would be terribly mean to have me thinking I was going to a game if I really wasn't.

It wasn't an April Fools trick and I had such a great time! I don't know a whole lot about basketball, but it was probably one of the more interesting games of the season. We played the North Carolina Bobcats--word on the street (meaning a friend of mine informed me) is that they are not all that much of a challenge to play. This game went into double overtime and was won by Ray Allen in the last two seconds. The game was tied 93 to 93 at the end of the fourth quarter. Ray Allen shot a 3-pointer to get us into the first overtime in the last 6 seconds. He shot another 3-pointer to get us into the second overtime. And he shot another 3-pointer to win the game in the last 2 seconds! For somone who doesn't know a lot about basketball, I was on my feet, adrenaline pumping, cheering at the top of my lungs. I must say it was kind of an awesome first game.

Last summer I watched the NBA finals when the Celtics won. I remember coming home from working at the restaurant in Maryland and sitting in my room watching the final game. None of my family was awake because it was late. When the Celtics won I called my aunt and uncle because I felt like I needed desperately to share the excitment with fellow Bostonians. This was my introduction to basketball in that I was trying to figure out what was going on all by myself. Naturally, I was trying to decide which player I connected with the best because it is so much better to watch a team when you have a favorite player. But it was hard to tell at first since Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen all put on a good show. I did like Allen a lot because of his 3 point shots. After this game I'm proud to say that Allen is my man. Now I just have to get myself a shirt with his name on it. It's perfect because green and white are my favorite colors :)

Spring Break

2009-03-24T13:47:00.000-07:00

Spring break this year was amazing. I have a friend who is going to graduate school at New York University for dance. She lives right near Penn Station. I took the Bolt Bus down to NYC and booked my ticket for only one dollar! You can't even buy a cup of coffee for a dollar. My friend's spring break was during the same time as mine so we spent a couple of days exploring the city and then took the train home to Maryland together. I visited her last October and we saw many of "the" sights to see. So this time we walked around Chinatown, SoHo, the Village...

Then in Maryland I spent some time with my family, hung out with close friends and spent St. Patrick's Day in Baltimore. My friend is going to the University of Maryland in Baltimore so we went to Fells Point and walked around. There is some really cute shopping and place to eat there.

Then on Wednesday I got a phone call that my aunt went into labor with her first baby. I took an emergency flight back to Boston to be here for his birth. His name is Zachary and he was 8 pounds 7 ounces. He is absolutely beautiful. Pictures to come later!

Only happens in the movies...

2009-03-10T11:23:00.000-07:00

This weekend was absolutely gorgeous! The weather was in the high 50s/ low 60s but it felt so much warmer. I worked the Students to Students event on Saturday in the Admission Office. It was an information session for prospective students which was completely run by students. There were four Trustee Ambassadors who spoke about different topics related to Suffolk. I was lucky enough to be one of the speakers and touched on the academics of the University. Then we gave tours to the group after the info session.

I thought it went really well and I had a lot of fun. I don't know what it is about working special events, but I always have such a good time. Perhaps it is because I get to see Ambassadors I might not normally see in the office. Or maybe because students are generally more excited and more apt to ask questions when they are at an event surrounded by a lot of other students. Anyway, it was a great morning and I had a wonderful time speaking to the group and giving a tour.

I took a nice walk through the Boston Common and the Public Garden on my way home. Then I got off at a T stop that is a litte farther from my apartment than the one I usually get off at so that I could enjoy the lovely weather. As I was walking down a small neighborhood street I was noticing that all the snow on the ground was melting and forming huge puddles. The thought crossed through my mind that if a car drove by, there would be potential for me getting splashed. So I walked on the farthest part of the sidewalk away from the road but figured that most of the cars driving the speed limit would have enough momentum to do so.

Until this mini-van comes flying down the street, probably going ten or more miles over the speed limit, and dangerously hugging the right side of the road. This happened at the same moment that I was walking by a huge brown puddle of disgusting melted snow. You guessed it... dirty water all over me. There was water on my face, dripping down my sunglasses, in my hair, all over my adorable white shirt, on my jeans, in my purse, all over my new fuggs (fake uggs)... eww! I was on the phone and gasped. I think my friend thought I was mugged. Ahhhh dirty water all over me!

This kind of thing only happens in the movies-- it is not supposed to happen in real life!

Something Profound

2009-03-05T10:39:00.000-08:00

So I'm really upset. Yesterday before I fell asleep I had a really profound thought. You know one of those profound questions you have about how the world works... but it isn't really profound, it is just a random question.

I thought that it would make a great blog topic. But now I've forgotten what it was. So much for my profound blog...

Snow Day

2009-03-05T10:12:00.000-08:00

On Monday we had the first snow day I've ever had in my college career. And it will probably be the only snow day I'll ever have at Suffolk. We only got around 12 inches of snow, but visibility was terrible in the morning.

So I slept in, took the dog out to play and cleaned my room. I got rid of every speck of dust and dirt. I swifer-mopped the floor. I did four loads of laundry. I even washed my curtains! It was like spring cleaning, but on a snow day.

An American Tale

2009-02-26T06:36:00.000-08:00

We have a mouse in my apartment-- his name is Fivel. He is not a pet, he just lives with us. He is ridiculously cute but also a ridiculous pain.

I've never lived with a mouse before so you can imagine my reaction when I first met him. He ran into my room at 1:00 in the morning. At first I thought it was the dog. But Fivel is much smaller than our dog. Some high-pitched squeals sent him running right back out again.

I've had a few other funny encounters with him. Like the time I had to wake up at 5:30 in the morning and found him hanging out in the bathroom. Needless to say, I stood on top of the toilet while I brushed my teeth.

He is becoming more and more bold as time goes on. We are seeing more of him running across the floor, skittering into the next room, even escaping behind the oven after helping himself to whatever food was on the counter. We are becoming good friends :)

So we bought a humane trap to catch him because he's just too cute to kill. The trap is really awesome-- it's a little mouse house. You are supposed to put a cracker with peanut butter in the one end of it, and the other end has a door that will trap him when he enters. Then when you release him, you pull plastic from the end with the cracker and he has to eat his way through the cracker to freedom. It gives him a full belly before you send him out into the wilderness.

But Fivel is too smart for this mouse trap. He has chewed on the edges of it and even eaten all the food we have placed around it. But he refuses to go into it! I was talking to the former executive chef of the Blair House (he's part of my extended family) and he told me that mice do not eat any white or processed flour because they know it is poisonous. But they will eat whole wheat or natural flours and foods. He also joked that they are smarter than us humans. But apparently mice like chocolate, fat and raw meat.

So I'm going to have to try chocolate next. I mean, if Fivel doesn't like chocolate I don't think I can be friends with him anymore. Who doesn't like chocolate? I'll blog later to conclude this classic American Tale.

Adventures on the T

2009-02-19T11:37:00.000-08:00

As a commuter student, I ride the train into Boston everyday from Brookline. On a good day it takes me 30-35 minutes to get from my house to Park Street. On a bad day it can take over an hour. The Sawyer Building, where all my classes are, is about a three to five minute walk from Park Street.

The great thing about riding the train is that there is always a story you have to tell from it. Stories about interesting characters, about eccentric T drivers, or even about delays can provide much entertainment.

Mondays and Wednesday are not so bad travelling to and from Suffolk because my schedule is on the off-hours of the regular 9-5 workday. But on Tuesdays and Thursdays I have to be on campus from 9:00am to 5:30 pm. This is literally the worst time to be on the train. Obviously, because it's rush hour. Commonly people think of rush hour as honking horns, irritated drivers and bumper-to-bumper traffic. Rush hour on the T includes people yelling, irritated passengers and squished-like-sardines travel. (That sentence did not achieve quite the level of parallel strucutre I wanted it to.) Anyway, passengers are pushed into every crevice of the train car as people try to squeeze in as many bodies that will fit. It sounds awful, and it can be, but I've gotten used to it so it does not even bother me anymore.

About once a week the disgruntled passengers on the platform will yell into the opening doors of an already packed train "Move into the train," or "Ah, come on look at all that room in there," or "This is rididculous!" These comments always make me smile. What would you like for us to do? Where would you like us to go? The best time was when this poor college student was standing with people surrounding her on all sides and this older woman screamed at her, "I'm trying to move into the train, but you are standing there like a brick wall!" I had to actively restrain myself from laughing.

Yesterday this cute little boy who was probably four years old, exclaimed to his sister, "Stop squishing me! I got squished against the door and now you're squishing me into mom. I don't want to be squished!"

My favorite is people with backpacks. Their bag is on their back, so they therefore have no idea how much room it takes up. People with briefcases, purses or side bags are fine because at least they can see how much critical room their stuff is occupying. But people with backpacks either do not realize that they are taking up the whole train and crushing other people, or they pretend not to notice. This guy last week was holding onto the overhead rails, leaning his weight back onto his heels and pushing his backpack up against my back in a packed train. Um Hello? Do you not see that you are taking up a ridiculous amount of room stretching out over there? And Hello again! Did you not notice that you are crushing the short Suffolk student behind you?

So if you knew me, you would realize that I am not passive agressive by any means and I do whatever it takes to avoid conflict. But these backpack people on the T are getting on my last nerve. So I pushed right back. Everytime this guy's backpack shoved into the small of my back, I would shove it right back to him with force. He got the point fairly quickly.

I also love the person who talks loudly on their cell phone while they are surrounded by people. We do not want to hear what you are having for dinner tonight nor do we want to know what your plans for the weekend are.

Even though riding the train has given me many strange and irritating stories to share, it also does have rewarding moments. Like watching the two year old stare into the window underground realizing that she can see everyone's reflection. Or like the guy who gives you his seat not because you are pregnant or elderly, but just because he is a gentleman. Or like listening to the hilarious T driver repeat, "Sardines, please. Sardines, please." into the microphone to signal people to move into the train.

I'm sure there will be more adventures to come...

As Good as it Gets

2009-02-11T13:44:00.000-08:00

I am taking an honors section of Organizational Behavior this semester with Laurie Levesque. It is an experienced-based (XB) teaching and learning style and is far from your conventional class. In order to learn how individuals behave in an organization and to develop management skills, the class is being run as an organization. This may be confusing, I know. Our entire class is still trying to figure it out. Our textbook isn't really a textbook, but a manual and it even states that we will be very confused.

So basically, the class (organization) is divided up into four different departments: Doing, Observing, Responsibility and Understanding. And then within the departments, there are various teams with specific jobs and job responsibilities. I work in the Understanding Department for the Formal Organization team. My job, along with my teammate, is to make sure the organization understands the formal structure and power of organizations as well as the theories and concepts we are learning in the class.

One interesting component of XB (what we call the class) is that the professor takes a very minimal role. This forces us to run the organization on our own an to learn and apply the concepts and theories in the text to our experiences in the classroom. We aren't even allowed to refer to her as "Professor" or "Doctor." Her official title is "Senior Manager."

I could go on to explain more, but I think it would just confuse you. Anyway, in order to learn how to distinguish good work from not so good work, to learn objectivity and to learn the ability to justify a decision, we have to write a weekly memo to the organization. Then it is the job of four members of the class each week (one from each department) to rank the memos from best to worst. This forces us to analyze the quality of a piece of work and justify why we ranked it where we did. Although the Senior Manager reads all the memos each week, it is essentially up to the students to rank and grade the memos. And those grades actually count.

What is kind of exciting is that I ranked as the number one memo for the first week! Not only did my classmates like my writing, but even the Senior Manager told me after class that my memo was impressive. It feels like a real accomplishment to not only have ranked as number one in an honors class, but to have been ranked by my peers. Maybe that means I'll make a good manager one day :)

I ran into one of my classmates in Barnes & Noble and we were discussing various things about XB. She said that she was reading my work and listening to me in class and that she hopes to learn how to better observe team members in XB from my example. I was so honored and yet taken aback by her comment. But it really is kind of cool that I am learning life skills and management skills in one of my classes through experience, and not just theories and concepts. And that someone is able to learn something from me, and I in turn will be able to learn from others is an incredible thing!

So then yesterday I had a presentation in my Management Information Systems class. It's not really the most exciting class ever. I'm not into technology and computers and such, so learning all about Information Technology is not my cup of tea. But the professor does try to make it interactive. Anyway, our presentation rocked. Afterwards the professor told us that we had "great slides", "great confidence" and we got a 10 out of 10. He also said, "You were as good as it gets!"

Now how about that for a good Wednesday :)

My first blog

2009-02-10T13:12:00.000-08:00

So as a new Trustee Ambassador at Suffolk University this semester, I was given the option to start a blog. At first I thought, hmm I'm not really a blogger. I have more of an email and Facebook personality. But then I decided to give it a try.

So since I love to share my stories through photos, what better way is there than to begin my first post and my introduction to blogging with some pictures. These are from my fabulous first trip to London and Paris in May 2008.

We sung "London Bridge is Falling Down..." when we were there

Standing in the middle of the road on Les Champs Elysees

J'Adore Paris!

The Classic Shot

Big Ben

Paris, Je t'aime!