When I first took up this post in September of 2007, I never imagined that I would still have this blog into 2013. Frankly, I couldn’t even see beyond my graduation date, but I also didn’t think that people would find my life interesting enough to continue this blog as long as it has.\u00a0I’ve loved keeping this blog. It’s been a way for me to show the rest of the world how much I love Holy Cross, and how much Holy Cross has changed me. If I take a look at some of my freshman year posts compared to senior year, I can tell a drastic difference, even in my writing style (‘Thank goodness,’ said the English Department, and Professor Ireland heaved a sigh of relief.). Throughout these past six years, you’ve all seen me grow from a freshman who wanted to go to law school, to a sophomore who first discovered the medieval period, to a junior who was able to work with senior scholars in my field, \u00a0to a senior who researched Julian of Norwich all day, to a graduate student who plays with manuscripts for a living. You’ve seen me grow from a freshman who just dabbled in ballroom dance, to a senior who came second in a national competition in England, to a graduate student who continues to compete in the open and university circuits in England and is about to start training for open amateur competitions. The Interdisciplinary Honors Program that I worked with Prof. Matlak to establish just inducted their first class of students in April; Medieval Studies at Holy Cross is growing as a major and general academic area of interest, and the Manuscripts and Documents Club is promoting Paleography at the undergraduate level. I think this blog has really been able to document just how full circle my path at Holy Cross has become.<\/p>\n
But now, for various reasons, I’ve decided that this blog has reached its end. These entries and photos will still be available, and I still have access to it, so I might very well make a random post in the future. But, for now, I think this is a fitting place in my story to end this blog. I’m turning in my (second) Masters’ Dissertation, and I’ll graduate from Oxford with my degree in Medieval English Literature with distinction on 20 September in the Sheldonian Theater. Next year, I’ll still be in Oxford, but I’m taking it off to just do some research and attend some major international conferences in my field, all of which will help me when I start my DPhil at King’s College London in Fall of 2014. I’ll still be dancing for my new university as well. \u00a0I don’t know exactly what the future holds for me after I complete my PhD (probably in 2016) – depending on the job market, maybe I’ll work in England as a post-doc, in Rome as a researcher, or in the States as a professor\/lecturer. But for right now, I’m still working on my beloved Anglo-Saxon manuscripts. Did I imagine that this is where I would be right now? No. In fact, I thought that I’d be finishing up my second year of law school. As I’ve said before, I never imagined that I would be where I am, and I can only thank Holy Cross for placing me on this path.<\/p>\n
Holy Cross truly did change my path – with the people I met, the friends I made, the classes I took, and the life direction I found. And you all have been such an important part, since you all saw this transformation happen – from my first days on the Hill to my Graduation and beyond. Thank you all for being such an important part of my Holy Cross experience; thank you for continuing to read this blog, and thank you for your comments and e-mails of support and encouragement.<\/p>\n
I could end this blog with a final word about my Holy Cross experience, but I think I’ve written quite extensively on that already. You all know how much I love Holy Cross, and you all know how much I value my experience there. So, instead, I will end this amazing blogging experience with just some of the many photos (well over 5,000) that document my past six years as a blogger.<\/p>\n
Thank you all again.<\/p>\n
Signing off for one last time,<\/p>\n
Colleen<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When I first took up this post in September of 2007, I never imagined that I would still have this blog into 2013. Frankly, I couldn’t even see beyond my graduation date, but I also didn’t think that people would find my life interesting enough to continue this blog as long as it has.\u00a0I’ve loved … <\/p>\n