Month: November 2008

For those of you who are familiar with track and field events, this semester has been like a 1500 meters race. My assignments have been spaced out from each other, so it’s been a strenuous, but I’ve been able to maintain my stride. However, the entire speed of the race changes completely tomorrow. An e-mail from Professor Murphy sums up the entire feeling of the next three weeks. It’s a “sprint to the semester's finish!” It’s a bittersweet feeling, too. I want the next three weeks’ workload to pass by quickly, but I don’t want this semester to end. I’ve loved all of my classes this semester, and all of my work has been strangely enjoyable. I’ve also shared some great times with my friends this semester, and Christmas break seems too long at some points. But, I can’t get caught up with Christmas break. I need to finish my research papers, presentations, and exams!

That’s why Thanksgiving break was most welcome! I went home to Alpharetta for the break. My parents have done a lot of work to the house, so I didn’t recognize my room at first. Even though it was a short visit, it was great to be home and spend time with my family.

Speaking of the next three weeks, liturgical ministry has some awesome events planned for Advent. The suspended Advent wreath is going to be hung in St. Joseph’s sometime soon. The Advent Reconciliation Service is on Tuesday night. The chaplains also provided the student leaders of Liturgical ministry with an Advent meditation calendar. So, while these next few weeks might be stressful, there are still opportunities to relax…oh, yes, and goof off with my friends! We’re all looking forward to “Wii Need a Break.”

I am going to accept the blame for Holy Cross’ loss on Saturday. I went up to Colgate to watch the Patriot League Championship Football game. I didn’t watch the first half; instead, I was hanging out with my sister, Caitie, who is a junior at Colgate. The Crusaders were winning in the first half. We turned on the game after half-time, and that was when the Crusaders began to lose. I now have more proof that I am just a jinx for my favorite sports teams. Don’t worry, Crusaders; I’ll probably be abroad next year, so you won’t have to worry about me jinxing your PLC opportunities. Even though the Crusaders lost, I had  a lot of fun hanging out with Caitie in Hamilton, NY. By hanging out, I mean ordering Tollhouse Cookie Pie from the Colgate Inn.

In twenty-four hours, my research paper for Jesus and His Contemporaries is due. I’m writing on how the human perception of God changed from ancient Judaism to Hellenistic Judaism. This paper has consumed my life for the past week or so, so I’ll be so happy when I turn it in. Of course, after I turn it in, I will have only two more classes until Thanksgiving break. 

One interesting note: One of my books for this paper was a part of Fr. Brooks’ collection. I can’t possibly receive a bad grade on this with Fr. Brooks behind me, right? Okay, so an A will take a little more work than utilizing a previous college president’s book.

If I study abroad next year, today was my last enrollment day until senior year. That thought terrified me. Whenever I tell my friends at other schools that I’ll probably be spending all of next year abroad, they typically tell me that I’m crazy for spending an entire year away. Yes, it seems like a lot of time right now, and I’m not too thrilled with leaving Holy Cross for an entire year. However, when would I ever have such an opportunity again?

Anyway, class enrollment was a success. The new STAR system made it seem all too easy. I refreshed the page a couple of times to ensure that I had actually enrolled! I enrolled in the four classes that I wanted, which is always a plus! Next semester, I’ll be taking readings in 20th century British Literature, Ideological Destruction of Art, which is my Honors seminar, Early Christian Literature, and Mathematics and Art. I know, there aren’t too many medieval classes in that mix. I’m really excited for all of my classes, though. Luckily, by next semester, I will have fulfilled all of my common area requirements and basic requirements for my major. However, I’m not even going to think about classes for junior and senior years. I’m still in denial that I eventually must leave Holy Cross.

This past weekend was an absolute blur. It started with spending an hour in Professor Murphy’s office on Friday. The two of us talked about everything in the Bible except my research topic, which had been the main reason why I wanted to talk to him.  I spent most of Sunday just running around and trying to catch up on some sleep. I slept in until 10:45, and I was the lector at the 11:30 Mass. That was cutting it a little too close! Fr. Hayes said the Mass, and his homily could not have been more perfect. He spoke about how difficult it is to determine one’s vocation, but our God-given talents will eventually help us discern whatever it is we’re meant to do in life. Between internship applications, classes, and thinking about graduate schools, it just seems like reality is coming a little too quickly. I really needed to have that hour just to relax and reflect. So, thank you, Fr. Hayes.

Well, I’m now going off to Kimball to enjoy breakfast. Today has already started out well with enrollment; hopefully classes and all my activities today will run just as smoothly!

Last night, Margaret and I went to see Pericles: The Prince
of Tyre. Ashley went with the other RAs in Wheeler because Jason Frank, a RA on
the second floor, was Pericles. Pericles is one of Shakespeare’s plays that
isn’t performed too often, so I really wanted to go (I have this goal to see
all of Shakespeare’s plays performed at least once). I was most certainly not
disappointed! Everything was spectacular. Professor Isser did a brilliant job
directing the play. In one particular scene, there are several suitors
competing in a triathlon for Thaisia’s hand. The Fenwick Theater is kind of
small, so staging such a scene is difficult. In order to adjust to the space,
the suitors were running and “swimming” in slow motion. I can’t really explain
it, but it was hilarious.

Today is already Friday, and that means two things. Firstly,
it’s payday! Secondly, it’s the weekend! The combination of money and free time
is dangerous. Margaret and I will probably go back to Providence and splurge a
little bit (just a little bit, though!). Anyway, this past week really flew.
Whenever Tuesday hits, life becomes a blender – everything goes by so quickly
that it’s difficult to discern one day from the other. But, for right now, I’m
just going to enjoy the weekend!  The invalid is doing somewhat better; Ashley is refusing to use
crutches, though. On Wednesday, I wouldn’t let her go out of the room until she
used the crutches. While I was walking to my 1:00 class, I saw that she had
discarded the crutches right by the side of Wheeler. I’ll admit that it was
funny. Okay, so it was hilarious. I just hope that her ankle will heal soon.

Medieval Philosophy is evolving into a continuation of FYP. In FYP, all of our classes sought to answer Tolstoy’s question, “How then shall we live?” In Medieval Philosophy, we’re battling that same question. One of the students in my class actually posed that question verbatim. In the class, it’s not just analyzing the viewpoints of medieval philosophers; instead, we’re applying the same arguments made by Augustine, Aquinas, Echart et al to modern life. For example, yesterday, we dealt with the problem of evil and predestination. Of course, it didn’t help when Professor Manoussakis gave an example using cheesecake; I could only think about cheesecake for the next five minutes. Then I realized that there were far bigger issues to attend to than my cheesecake craving. Interestingly enough, the class has come to the conclusion that some of the medieval arguments are still valid in the modern era. I just love how the FYP theme didn’t end with my freshman year.

In other (less academic) news, Ashley sprained her ankle last night while playing volleyball. Well, we think and hope it’s just a sprain. She actually may have fractured it. So, in addition to being a roommate, I have morphed into a nurse as well. Let’s just say that I now know why I’m not a Pre-Med student!

I survived one of my busiest weeks ever. My medieval literature essay and my Oxford study abroad application were both due this past Friday. I can’t believe that my study abroad application is finally finished and out of my hands. I also can’t believe that this semester is almost finished. Exams begin in a little more than a month. Let me reiterate that. A little more than a month. Even though this semester has been one of my busiest due to my classes, activities, and job, I’ve enjoyed it all. Speaking of classes, no I still haven’t decided what classes I want to take next semester. This could be a bit of problem considering the fact that enrollment is in a week or so. Hm. Back to the drawing board on this one.

I don’t think that I finished any work this weekend. On Friday, Ashley, Katie, and I went to Providence Place Mall on the free shuttle. Katie is going to Senior Ball with her boyfriend, and she wanted the two of us to help her pick out a dress. I think the three of us did rather well, if I may say so!

I can’t believe that I’ll be back home in two weeks for Thanksgiving. My parents are renovating the house, and I’ve been told that I won’t recognize my room. I’m not entirely too sure how I feel about this. My room was painted a nice purple for the longest time (see (!), purple has always been my favorite color. Just another reason why I was meant to go to Holy Cross.), so it’s going to be different to see any other color on the walls. Honestly, the color of my room is the least of my concerns right now. I have two research papers that I should probably start sometime soon because they’re both due before Thanksgiving break. I’m going to use this calm week to get as much work finished as I possibly can!

I’m not really sure why professors made papers due this
week. The campus is humming with election news from both sides. You can’t walk
anywhere without hearing “McCain” or “Obama.” Even the library isn’t quiet. I
actually had to leave tonight because some students became involved in a debate
two carrels down from me. So, while think it’s great that our campus is so
charged for the elections on both sides, I am beginning to wonder if it’s at
all possible to move Election Day to the first Saturday of November. Not only
would it help out college students, but more people might be able to get out
and vote! Or maybe I should’ve factored Election Day into my planning for this
week…

Oh, yes, just a quick shout out. This morning at Kimball, we
played American History trivia to select jobs in honor of Election Day. My
fellow blogger, Melissa Browne, was the first one to guess the Lucetania when I
asked for the name of the ship that helped draw us into World War I.

I’m getting anxious simply because everything is due between
now and Thanksgiving. Research papers, term papers, exams, applications…it’s
all adding up. The odd thing is that I’m enjoying all of the work. Professor
Manoussakis loved my topic for my Philosophy research paper (The influence of
Augustine’s garden scenes on the structure of the Divine Comedy), and I’m
actually excited to write that paper. I’m currently writing on the absence of
compunctio in the Divine Comedy (I really cannot escape Dante!), and, again,
I’m loving it. I just wish that I was a tad more focused on writing the paper
than checking the election results every five minutes or so! So, while the work
is really piling up, I’m still loving it. I know that’s an odd thing to say,
but it is most certainly true.

 

You have got to be kidding me. It’s already November!? First semester of sophomore year is going way too fast. Where are the brakes on this thing?

In other news, the campus celebrated the most anticipated holiday of the year with much fanfare. Yes, the entire campus was bedecked in revelry for the most glorious holiday…the end of Daylight Saving Time. Oh, an extra hour of sleep is such a glorious luxury! Although, the sun set today at 4:30ish. When I left the library at 5:00 tonight, it was pitch dark.

Oh, yes. Halloween was also a lot of fun. Ashley was on duty, so we all stayed up until three o’clock in the morning watching scary movies. I was tricked into watching The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I really need to stop listening to my friends when they tell me that a horror movie is good. If I can say so, my group of friends had some really creative costumes. We always try to have a “be what you aren’t” theme. Ashley was an indie kid, Katie was Pluto, and one of my friends, Andrew, was a nudist on strike. I decided to dress up as white trash. It was really a hilarious night!

As much fun as this weekend was, this upcoming week isn’t really going to be that much fun. My study abroad application is due on Friday, as is my Medieval Lit. paper. The Oxford summer group is going to try to get back together for a dinner sometime this week. I’ve been talking with one of my friends who is currently abroad there, and our conversations have just cemented my desire to go back there for next year!

Oh, yes – a Classics plug. If you have the time, go and visit the following Web site . The Classics department has been working a palimpsest of one of Archimedes’s treatises, and it was finally published. Many of my friends worked on it, so I’m quite happy to see that they’ve been part of an influential accomplishment during their undergraduate careers!