Month: April 2008

Hey everyone! I’m so sorry that I’ve been MIA for a while. This past week or so has been so chaotic, but now I have some time to breathe.

Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, gave a lecture called “The Omnivore’s Solution” in the ballroom last Wednesday. For those of you who haven’t read it (I highly recommend it!), The Omnivore’s Dilemma explores the American food industry. Needless to say, there are some chapters in the book that will convince any reader that living on air alone is healthier. Mr. Pollan’s lecture was an attempt to show that one can still eat properly in today’s society. Ironically, Katie was munching on Cocoa Puffs throughout his entire lecture, and we all went down to Crossroads (a.k.a. fried food heaven) afterwards. Mr. Pollan, I swear I listened to your lecture! I just can’t say no to Crossroads’ chicken fingers!

This past weekend was Spring Weekend, and it was a blast. On Saturday, there was a huge carnival up at Hart. There were rides, carnival games, lots of food, fried dough (so delicious), watermelon…the works. Later on that night, there was a fireworks display. It was great until the finale. The last firework that went off was a dud, so the ending was extremely anti-climatic. Oh well, we still had fireworks!

And, lastly, today was my last day of classes. How scary is that? I don’t have a final in US Intelligence, and most of the students in my class are seniors, so Professor Bunke said good-bye to us today. He then wished the seniors good luck with jobs and real life (I am in denial that that will be me in three years). The end of spring semester is so different from fall because winter break is only a month. Summer break seems like a lifetime. I’ll be home for two months, and then I’ll be in England until the end of August. Where are the brakes?!

We had a hall meeting last night about what we need to do to check out of our rooms after our finals. LC told us that the rooms have to be as clean as they were on move-in day. Carrie and I looked at each other, and I mouthed to her, “There’s no way…” Carrie’s side of the room is completely fine. My side of the room looks like an earthquake with a 9.0 magnitude hit it. Packing up and cleaning my side of the room is definitely going to be interesting.

Well, I’m off to finish my two last papers. I’ll be updating throughout the last week of my freshman year!

Why I Chose Holy Cross

In my senior year of high school, I really had no idea what I wanted in a college. I didn’t like high school at all, so I was more interested in just going to college rather than any specific ones. I had followed my sister around on her numerous college visits, and one of those visits happened to be Holy Cross. As she met with the swim coach, I went around the campus with my grandmother and enjoyed the summer weather. We then went on a tour, and I remember that I was extremely impressed. One of the images that was forever ingrained in my mind was Dinand Library (The best way I can describe Dinand is the Beast’s library in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast.” It is that beautiful and grandiose.). After we left the campus, I told my parents that I liked the school, but I wasn’t wild about attending a college in Worcester. That was the last I said or thought about Holy Cross throughout my Junior year.

In the beginning of my Senior year, I only knew two things that I wanted from college: a strong English department, and a geographic location above the Mason-Dixon line. When I presented my final list of colleges, my mom asked, “What about Holy Cross?” I wrinkled my nose at her suggestion, and said I wasn’t interested because of Worcester. She urged, “I really think that that’s the college for you.” I decided to apply to satisfy my parents, but I had no plans to matriculate. It’s a common teenage syndrome – we never want to admit that our parents truly know what’s best for us.

The next time Holy Cross crossed my mind was when I went to the National Youth Leadership Forum on Defense, Intelligence, and Diplomacy in Washington, D.C. One of the days was a free day for us to explore the city, and, me being the nerd that I am, I ended up in the Capitol and Supreme Court buildings. As I walked around the Supreme Court, I picked up some pamphlets on each of the Supreme Court Justices. I began to read the one about Clarence Thomas, and his alma mater was listed as Holy Cross. Clarence Thomas was also raised in a small town in Georgia. Now, while I couldn’t exactly speak to him about his personal experience about coming to Holy Cross from Georgia, the wheels really began to turn in my mind.

When I returned home from the conference, I began to think more about the colleges to which I had applied, albeit it a little too late. I wondered if I would be truly happy at any of the colleges to which I applied, so I made lists. As I began to write down the pros and cons of each college, I realized, to my surprise and dismay that my parents were correct, that Holy Cross had the most pros. It had the perfect location (close to a large and entertaining city, but not actually within the city), rigorous and excellent academic programs, a small and strictly undergraduate student population, and excellent alumni successes. In addition to this list, Holy Cross also had a vibrant faith life, something that was missing from all of my other selections. I began to realize that Holy Cross was the best academic environment that would allow me to pursue all of my academic interests, specifically English and Latin.

I was at school breaking the set of the musical when my mother called me. She exclaimed, “You got into Holy Cross!” Of course, while I was swayed to Holy Cross, I wanted to go up to the campus one last time before I submitted my deposit. My mom and I went up to Holy Cross for Accepted Students’ Day on April 15th, 2007. This date just might go down in the Holy Cross history books as the worst possible weather for an Open House. A “Nor’easter” was passing through, and right when I saw the snow falling, I began to wonder what I was getting myself into. We arrived on campus, and the weather was chilling to the bone. It was raining, snowing, and overcast. Despite all of this, right as I drove up Linden Lane, I instantly fell in love with Holy Cross.

After attending an address given by President McFarland, meeting a group of English professors and students, and walking around campus, I agreed with my mother. Holy Cross was where I was meant to be. I stayed on campus overnight with Erin, and attended her classes the following day. Experiencing her classes were a huge asset to my decision because I knew that this was the rigorous academic setting that I wanted. When my mom picked me up, I had a huge grin on my face. I myself knew Holy Cross was the school for me. After I told my family members my decision, my grandmother called my mother, and told her that she knew either my sister or I would end up going there. My grandfather called my dad and told him that he had a feeling that I would attend Holy Cross. It seems that everyone knew where I was going to college a long time before I even did. 

In many ways, Holy Cross found me. I nearly didn’t come that summer day that my sister was touring Holy Cross. I nearly didn’t even apply. But, looking back over my other colleges, I know I wouldn’t be as happy as I am anywhere else. At Holy Cross, I have a strong academic milieu and close interaction with my professors, which are unique aspects that I’m not sure I would have received at any of my other colleges. I’ve been able to take extremely engaging classes that pertain specifically to my academic interests. I’ve made enduring friendships with people who are just as crazy as I am. I’ve been able to live out my Catholic faith within an extremely supporting and loving faith community. I know that any other college simply would not suit my academic and social needs or personality in the manner that Holy Cross does. I couldn’t ask for a better freshman year.

There are three weeks left in my freshman year, and the remaining days are fleeting. I only have two more US Intelligence classes left. I only have one FYP paper, one International Relations paper, one US Intel paper, one Latin paper, a Latin quiz, and my three finals left. I know I keep on writing this, but I really can’t believe that time has flown this quickly.

Sophomore years seems to be starting right now. I just registered for next semester’s classes. I was lucky enough to get all four, so I’ll be taking Dante’s Classical Sources, Medieval Literature, Medieval Philosophy, and Jesus & His Contemporaries. On top of that, I’ve been training for Kimball Captain, and trying to get ready for the new freshmen workers next year. I was nominated for Liturgical Coordinator, so I’ve been talking with Paul Covino about mass schedules for next year. I’ve begun shadowing tour groups, and I’ve learned more about the history of Holy Cross within the past week than all of Dinand Library could contain. As if starting sophomore year now wasn’t scary enough, junior year seems to be creeping up on me as well. I’ve been talking to Study Abroad about studying at Oxford University for my Junior year. It feels like the O’Kane clock tower isn’t telling the correct time.

Tonight, I saw the Fools’ weekly show at Cool Beans. Jess was performing her solo, “I’m the Only One.” It was phenomenal. She sounded great as a soloist, and all the other Fools provided the perfect accompaniment. I recorded her performance, but iPhoto isn’t downloading the file from my camera. It’s frustrating, but it is providing some nice distraction from all of my papers and such! Just kidding. Sort of.

Well, I have to get back to my papers right now. I’m currently writing my Latin paper. Professor Vodoklys assigned us to rewrite the founding of our hometown within the plotline of the Aeneid. Combining Latin, Creative Writing, and History? Needless to say, I am having way too much fun with this assignment.

   

“Legally Blonde” is one of my favorite movies; it’s certainly ranked on my top five list. Because of my love for that movie, “Perfect Day,” the opening and closing song, is one of my favorite songs. When my alarm went off this morning, my iPod, which was set on shuffle, started playing “Perfect Day.” And, luckily, today was just that.

Well, let’s begin with the weather. It has been absolutely gorgeous for the past couple of days, but today was exceptionally beautiful. Today was the definition of spring made manifest. Flowers around the campus are beginning to bloom, and the view is simply enough to make anyone happy.

In Professor Kee’s class, we’re reading Dostoevsky’s The Grand Inquisitor from The Brothers Karamazov. Today, Professor Kee told us that Holy Cross is sponsoring a Dostoevsky conference this weekend. The lecturers hail from all over the globe, and these scholars are among some of the most brilliant minds in Russian literature. Professor Kee then told us that students of Holy Cross are allowed to sit in on the lectures for free, and Jess and I are planning on attending at least one tomorrow. I am so excited to be able to listen to some of the world’s most prominent Slavic Literature scholars to speak! Yes, I do realize how nerdy this sounds.

In a way, it seemed that even the buildings wanted us to go outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. At around 3:00, the power went out all over campus. No lights, no computers, nothing. The power eventually came back on, but, by that time, we were all playing outside that it didn’t even matter.

My SPUD was canceled for today, so we all decided to have a picnic dinner outside. We all grabbed boxed meals from Lower Kimball, and ate outside. It was one of the most fun times I’ve had while at college. We played “duck, duck, goose,” (I promise we’re freshmen in college) and just enjoyed being outdoors. By the end of dinner, there was a large grass stain on Katie’s skirt, and that really made us all feel like five year olds. I’m trying to explain why it was so fun, but I just can’t! Hopefully the pictures below will give you all an idea as to why this was the most fun dinner I’ve had at college.

Today was just an overall gorgeous and happy day. Actually, it’s been a happy couple of days. I was accepted into the tour guide program, nominated to be a Liturgical Coordinator for next year, and promoted to Kimball Captain. All of my classes have been going well, and my friends and I are having the time of our lives. I know how incredibly sappy that sounds, but it’s quite true!

Remember the warning in one of my recent posts? Don’t give college girls with some time to kill hair dye kits? Well, here’s the story behind that warning.

Last week, Ashley was pondering changing her hair color. She said she wanted to dye it blonde (well, more blonde than it was already). When I got back to my room, I told Carrie about what Ashley wanted to do. Carrie seemed interested, and that was pretty much the last we all talked about it.

Then, last Friday, the three of us went off to Target at Blackstone Shops. As we wandered around, Ashley spotted the hair dye aisle. We all went down the  aisle, and then the three of us decided that we had at least half an hour free that night. Why not dye our hair? So we all picked out different shades. Ashley chose platinum (and I mean platinum) blonde; Carrie chose a mahogany color, and I chose a strawberry blonde.

After lots of shampoo, water, and hair dye had saturated the bathroom floor, Ashley ended up with Barbie blonde; Carrie ended up sporting a deep chestnut color, and mine turned out to be a more golden color than anything else. Well, Katie was on Manresa that weekend, and when she came back on Sunday and saw the results, she decided that she wanted to dye her hair too.

Well, fast forward to yesterday. Like last weekend, we went to Target, and Katie picked up a box of auburn hair dye. Ashley decided that she didn’t want to be blonde anymore, so she bought a box of dye that was a darker auburn than Katie’s. After employing the help of Ashley’s friend from Northeastern, Danny, the two of them had dyed their hair. When I began to wash out Katie’s hair, however, something seemed wrong. The color wasn’t exactly matching the color indicated on the box. When she dried her hair, she seemed disappointed that it was so dark. Then I had a suspicion. As I began to wash out Ashley’s hair, my suspicion was confirmed. Ashley’s hair was unfolding in strands of bright auburn. Even though we had been so careful and made sure that we indicated whose dye was whose, we still messed it up. Ashley ended up with Katie’s bright auburn, and Katie ended up with Ashley’s darker dye. All I can say is that it’s a good thing I am not going to beauty school.

So, the moral of the story? Just do not allow college students to purchase hair dye. We’re too focused on our books to even realize whose dye is whose!

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Growing up, I remember my grandfather would always say that phrase. Whenever  Papa presented me with a list of options, and when I replied with his favorite phrase of mine, “I dunno,” he would always chuckle and mutter, “Decisions, decisions, decisions.”

In high school, I thought I had a lot of decisions to make. Should I take AP Environmental Science instead of AP Chemistry? Should I quit dance and join the theater program? Should I take both French and Latin? Should I go to China with People to People? What colleges should I apply to? Which college should I go to? I thought that I had a myriad of decisions before me in high school.

And then I came to the College of the Holy Cross, where I realized that what I thought was a myriad of decisions in high school was really a pithy amount. I can’t remember the last time that I have had the opportunity to make so many wonderful decisions in my life than this week alone. In addition to the sheer magnitude of decisions that I have to make, there’s one very large difference between these and the decisions I had to make in high school. These decisions could very well affect my future career, which is an extremely scary and daunting thought!

What classes should I take? Well, thankfully, I’ve narrowed my class options down to about eight, and I’m meeting with my advisor next week to make the final cut. Should I switch my major to World Literature or stay an English major? After a long, heartfelt talk with Professor Kee, I’ve decided to stay an English major. Should I study abroad this summer? I just got off the phone with my parents, and I think that I will be. I’m just very happy that I have people in my life, whether they be professors or my parents, that I can go to and will listen to me weighing the pros and the cons aloud. With all their support and help, I know I can make the right decisions to help my academic career reach its full potential. I know that I’ve made at least one right decision – coming to Holy Cross. I honestly feel that not as many wonderful options would be as readily available to me if I had attended any other college.

Ah, decisions. Well, at least now, I’m not shrugging my shoulders and saying, “I dunno.” Papa might be impressed that I’ve grown up a little.

Only a little, though. When I found out that I was accepted as a tour guide, I jumped up and down, danced around my room, blasted “Perfect Day” by Hoku, and screamed in very high pitches. I’m still a five year old at heart!

It’s a paper week, and, sadly, everyone call always tell when I have a paper week. My room looks like a T-9 tornado has just ripped apart only my side of the room. Pieces of paper are strewn everywhere. Post-it notes with little fledgling quotes from books somehow end up in my closet. Tea mugs clutter my desk. Yes, paper weeks aren’t fun, nor are they appreciated by my roommate. But, I have a couple more of these weeks coming up during my last full month. Today, I found out that one of my prospectives was accepted and he’s decided to come to Holy Cross. I also found out that another girl from my high school is also coming to Holy Cross next year. Jess is hosting an accepted student who wants to be a Classics major for the next day. It’s exciting that there’s a new “generation” of Crusaders coming in, but, as much as I’m looking forward to a three month break, I really don’t want to stop being a freshman.

A few weeks ago, Katie and I planned to dress up like each other for April Fool’s Day. We have the most opposite styles in the world. Long story short, we never got around to swapping clothes. Well, when I saw her today, I felt like I was looking in a mirror. The best part about it is that we didn’t even plan it! Or, at least, we didn’t mean for it to happen this way!

Well, there’s a huge thunderstorm going on right now, so I have to cut this entry short so I can turn off my computer. But, before I go, please remember to never give hair dye to three college girls with some time to kill. I’ll write more on that in my next entry!