Utlimate "Looking Back" Project

One of my professors is requiring our entire class to create a repertoire list of everything we have read in our college career. This includes books read over the summer as well as impacting works of literature that we may want to include from high school. Can I just say that this list is not only long but crazy! I mean, can you remember everything you have read in the past few years? So today I spent about an hour in the department office looking through syllabi's past and reminiscing about conversations we had in class, books I found interesting, stories I fell asleep to, things like that :)

It has actually been kind of fun to make this list. Once we have all of our books, they need to be organized into genres. This allows us to see where the gaps in our literature education exist and give us a basis on which to create a well informed reading list for the future! So far I am need of reading more of the American Novel and I need to read the Harry Potter series (tehehe). Overall, this has been a really neat exercise in mapping my education and in coming to understand what works have shaped the way I perceive my world.

Looking Back Part III

Saturday morning I attended the Senior Brunch for the Literature Department. The experience was very touching and (I'll admit it on a blog) I shed a few tears. My professors and peers all came together to commemorate our accomplishments and to look forward to the future. Some students shared works they had written, senior projects they had completed and everyone got some good laughs when Dr. Lescart (our French professor) and Dean Nelson (our Professor of Journalism) took center stage. We played "are you smarter than a graduating senior," and then the faculty surprised each graduating senior with a book that was hand picked for that student and signed by the Literature faculty members. It was very touching (that was the part where I cried). Reading the parting words my professors wrote for me was encouraging. I have made such deeply running connections with the people here; I know I can come back or write to any of them if ever I am in need of their advice or friendship.

Looking Back Part II

Here I am looking back again. I was thinking a lot this week about the different ways in which Point Loma has shaped my skills and abilities through my experiences here. My sophomore year was a big challenge and growth time for me as a Resident Assistant in Nease Hall. For the first time I was in charge of a big group of people (24) who needed me to take on a role of leadership, of an effective communicator, of a friend... the experience ushered in an amazing opportunity for me to learn from the girls on my floor. Junior year was a wild ride as well. My friends and I got a house together and for the first time I my work went to paying rent. It was a difficult but awesome and independent time for me. Traveling to Argentina during that second semester altered my world perspective and most definitely contributed to my sense of independence and ability to provide for as well as take care of myself.

This year was just hard work. Taking 17 units and working is just plain hard. And this final semester has been challenging in that, in addition to school, you have to plan on what you will be doing May 17th (the day after graduation). I have to say though, that everything I have gained through the years, responsibilty and effective communication skills, independence, have all made this graduating thing a lot easier to deal with.

Looking back - Part I

I have been thinking a lot about what it was like to transition from high school into my college years. I remember being sooo excited to leave home for the first time-- to get a sense of independence and to try and accomplish something big on my own. I remember driving through the mountains of North Idaho on my way to San Diego. The car was wayyyyy to full of things, things... things that I would later find out I didn't need in order to start my life at my new school.

I recall how nervous I was to meet my roommate for the first time. Would she be nice? Would we get along? Would she think I was a total dweeb? It didn't take long for Cassie and I to open up to each other and find a friendship.

Saying goodbye to everything that was familiar wasn't a hard thing for me to do until my sister and my mom got back in the car to drive home-- without me. That's when reality began to set in a little stronger than before. But I learned from that moment as well: no matter how much you try and anticipate change, no matter how much you try and prepare for it, thoughts and emotions you could not have conceived ahead of time will come. In those moments, you have to let these new thoughts and feelings sweep you off of your feet and teach you something new about yourself.

On a happy note...!

I mentioned a few blogs ago that one of my best friends and I secured an apartment for next year, and I am SOOOOOO excited to live there! First of all, Cassie is great fun to live with and such a supportive roommate, secondly, the little place we got is super cute! It's a one bedroom with a big living room and and adorable kitchen with retro tile and fixtures from the seventies :)

What's even better is the fact that it is close to school, close to the Point Loma Library (which has a telescope in the kids' section) and even closer to my favorite taco shop, Ortiz! By the way, if you so choose to come to school at Point Loma, you MUST, and I repeat, MUST try their carne asada tacos! They are amazing to say the very least.

I have already started packing and imagining what we can do to decorate the place! Of course we have to find a central place to hang Cassie's canvas from the Dominican Republic, and a funky place to hang my monet print in its thrift-store frame. This is going to be great!

UUUGh! Last big effort!

Well... I find myself in this place yet again for the eighth time in my college career-- finals week preparation! (Background sound: duh duh DUHN!!!)

The way I see it, I only have thirty pages to write, two final exams to take, a repertoire list of every book I've ever read in college to create, and two presentations to give before I can walk across that stage, shake Bob Brower's hand, and take hold of that empty, rolled up piece of paper that I can trade a week later for a diploma. Phhhew! All of this in three weeks! Yikes!

As a result of this somewhat extensive to-do list, I have locked myself up in an empty room and forbidden myself to use my car until I have completed at least two papers and gotten a handle on the two presentations. I'm afraid this might be a long weekend. Will report back later during another sanity break :)

Coming to a close...

I cannot believe that this year is coming to a close. Looking at my calendar is like entering a dream world-- only three weeks until graduation. What, only three weeks until graduation? Oh my gosh... only three weeks until graduation!

I have spent much of the last couple of weeks developing and redeveloping my resume, applying for jobs, attending seminars designed to help students adjust to the "real world." Next week I have a mock interview at the career center and the week following I have a REAL interview! If all else fails, I have a Summer job (one that I love) that I can fall back on. But that's pretty scary. One of my best friends and I just secured an apartment for the year, so my main concern is being able to provide for myself and also to begin paying back the ominous student loans.

Honestly, I go back and forth between feeling completely prepared to be on my own and completely vulnerable to all the change that is occurring right now. It definitely helps that I am not the only person faced with so much uncertainty. And in the end, I really just cling to the hope and faith that everything will turn out okay.

Espana was AWESOME

Traveling to Spain with my best friends was amazing! We spent two nights in Madrid, four nights in Barcelona, walked on the shore of the Mediterranean, viewed Picasso paintings, went to the Prado (it's amazing what you can squeeze into a week's time). For the most part, everything went pretty smoothly. Due to a communal lack in Euro, we pretty much stuck to a diet of baguettes and coffee. Kirstin lost her bus ticket on the third day so we attempted (and failed) to argue with the driver in Spanish to let us on. And I can tell you that if you are ever in Europe and think it's okay to walk around without your passport, DON'T. Apparently that could land you behind bars :) Not that that happened, but it could have... to me.

Spring BREAK!

With this final semester well underway, I have been caught up mentally and emotionally in all of the changes that are and will soon be taking place. My friends and I have been talking about where we are going to live next year and how life will change. I am actively looking for that rather intimidating three letter word (job...eeek!), and I am trying to anticipate what it will be like to throw my hat in the air knowing that I have completed the college journey. Maybe it will be hugely satisfying. Maybe I will feel like I'm strapping the world as a burden to my back. Maybe I won't feel any different at all. In a way, this literature degree is really only a step in what I want to do in my life. It's certainly a big step, but it's one amongst many.

There is a point in the second semester when you get to put aside these whirling thoughts-- spring break. I cannot wait! My best friends and I just purchased cheap tickets to Spain! Voy a Espana!!! Vamos a Barcelona por una semana para divertirnos y pasar un momento juntos ante de un gran cambia en nuestros vidas! In other words, we just decided that we want this to be a senior trip where we take time to enjoy each other on a wild adventure before we all start taking on different responsibilities. You can bet there will be lots of pictures!

Christmas Break was Amazing :)

Christmas break was absolutely wonderful! I spent Christmas early with my immediate family then I flew to Phoenix to spend Christmas day with my sister, brother in law and two baby nephews :) They are so wonderful! Luke is 21 months and Parker is 4 months! Seeing someone so little run around and enjoy Christmas's joy made the day very special. (The other little one is far too young to run around. He did a lot of lying around and looking cute.)

After Phoenix, I drove to San Francisco to see some dear friends. San Fran was FREAKING COLD but a very charming city. We wandered amongst the piers, gazed at the statue at union square, washed our hands in rose water while on the floor of a Moroccan restaurant and slurped hot soup from steaming bread bowls at Boudin.

And now it is time to study again. I feel refreshed and ready to take on the final sixteen weeks! My last first day was spent enjoying friends and attending the last class introductions I'll ever have... unless I go to graduate school :)