BIG NEWS!!

Break has been good so far. I went to Kauai with my family for a week, and got back Saturday night. I enjoyed the warmth and sun, having survived 20 degree weather in Portland before finals week. Since coming home, I have enjoyed seeing friends and having coffee dates with old teachers. My grades came in last week: C+ in ethics, B+ in English, B in Bib Trad, and A's in science (the class was a joke) and choir. I also passed psych. Because of my good grades, I found out today that...

I AM GOING TO LONDON THIS SUMMER!!!

You heard that right. This lucky gal will be spending SIX WEEKS (June 22-July 29) studying Shakespeare and moral psych (they don't call it "study abroad" for nothing) and experiencing all that this wonderful place has to offer. I will be going to several plays (one in Stratford-on-Avon, Shakespeare's birthplace), visiting cathedrals (Westminster Abbey included), and going to places outside of London such as Stratford-on-Avon, Cantebury, and Oxford.

Hope you're having a good break and happy new year!!

Almost Home!

I am currently blogging from the PDX airport, waiting to board my flight home. While I never thought it was imaginable, I survived finals week. I emailed my ethics paper to my professor Sunday night, presented my science project at 8 AM Monday morning, and survived all three tests. I think I did well on English and Bib Trad, but not as good on psych, which is fine with me as I'm not getting a grade. My midterm grade for psych was a B (before I changed to P/NP), so I don't think my grade will drastically go down. Also a D minus, not a C, is "passing" when you're taking a class P/NP. I think this semester may very well be the first with no C's: I'm expecting a B minus in ethics, B's in Bib Trad and English, A's in choir and science (science is a joke), and a P in psych. Luckily, P/NP doesn't affect your GPA, so I think I could be looking at 3.0. Not only will my grades go up, but I expect to see a letter that says I'm ACCEPTED AND AM GOING TO LONDON THIS SUMMER!!!

Saturday I leave for a week in Hawaii. Despite the fact that we're going to the same island (but renting a house) we've gone to the past five years, I am excited for some sun as the weather has been cold in Portland. Then it's two weeks of epicness at home with friends and coffee dates with favorite teachers. I'm ready for a well-deserved break.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, happy whatever holiday you celebrate. Until after I get back from HI!

Almost there!

This week has been all about studying for upcoming exams, working on my science project, and writing my ethics paper. I got my ethics and Bib Trad tests back; even though I had some nervous breakdowns about not doing well, I didn't do too bad. I got C's on both, and while that isn't the greatest grade, it's passing so it's not the end of the world. Honestly, the classes I had tests in have nothing to do with my major or career goals and I doubt I'll remember what grade I got in five years. College is hard, so while C's weren't the greatest in high school, they can be good in college if the classes are hard. I'm not failing any classes, and I'm going in with and expect to come out with good grades. Currently, my lowest grade is a C plus in ethics, but I think that should go up to a B minus or B once I submit my final paper. All this work (and worrying) has made me tired and stressed, but I'm feeling a lot better and was able to have fun hanging out with friends tonight and playing Bible Apples to Apples last night.

Studying aside, I have been enjoying the Christmas festivities. Christmas is my favorite holiday, as I love the music and spirit (and the goodies). Monday night I sang at the Grotto with choir. We sang these wonderful songs: "Nova, Nova,"(literally transleted to "news, news", "Ave Maria," "For Unto Us a Child is Born" (Messiah text), "In the Bleak Midwinter" (Christina Rosetti poem), "One December Bright and Clear," "Lullaby Carol," "Night of Silence," and "Ring the Bells." Despite the cold weather, we had an amazing time. Afterwards, I got my picture taken with Santa (a.k.a. Tommy, the hall director in the boy's dorm next door) in my dorm and attempted to make a gingerbread house. Thursday night was "Bells in the Ballroom" where the chapel and handbell choirs sang Christmas carols. I also went to a Christmas party that night with the English Society, which was fun. Tonight, I got some early Christmas presents from friends; gloves from MacK (much needed as the temperature has been in the 20s!), shower gel from Traci, and a stocking with chocolate and a mini candle from Dana. Unfortunately, fire codes prohibit us from lighting candles in the dorms so I have to wait to light it when I get home.

All I want is for Thursday afternoon to come. Monday I have to present my science project at 8 AM and take my psych test. I don't have finals Tuesday and Wednsday; I have to turn my ethics paper by Wednsday afternoon but I think I'll get that done by Monday. Thursday I have tests in English and Bib Trad, and then I'm done at 12:30. In a little less than three hours, I'll be on my way home for a much needed 3 week break (one of those weeks in HAWAII, where it's warm and sunny unlike here). 5 MORE DAYS!!

Grotto Photos

Enjoy these photos for a closer look at the Grotto!


The goat and I became fast
friends!

Sam (birthday girl)


All of us

Angels surrounding the
cross

Nativity scene


I love Christmas trees!

Lama at the petting zoo

Surviving Tests and Getting into the Christmas Spirit

Having studied my butt off for my ethics and Bib Trad tests, turned in my final Bib Trad paper, and worked on a draft of my final psych project, you would imagine how desparately I needed to get off campus and do something fun. That need was met as my friends and I went on an adventure in honor of our friend Sam's birthday. We went to the Grotto, which is a magical, woodsy place with carolers, concerts, nativity plays, two gift shops, a petting zoo, and of course, lots of Christmas lights. The music and lights are the two major reasons I love Christmas. Our friend Lauren's younger brother was singing there Friday night with his school, so we heard them sing a few numbers. This place is magical, unlike anywhere I've been. After walking around in 30 degree weather and enjoying the magic of the Grotto, we headed to Burgerville, a fast food restaurant similar to CA's In-N-Out. Although I don't enjoy the "burger" aspect of this place as a vegetarian, their shakes are to die for! I had a chocolate hazelnut shake that was thick and delicious, but too rich to finish.

Today my friend Trever went downtown to go Christmas shopping. I did not buy much aside from a few tubes of CG Bigelow lip gloss, which Antonia turned me onto and has the fresh, minty after taste of brushing your teeth. Trever and MacKenzie are in the honors program and hung out with us sometimes. We really enjoyed walking around the mall and chatting. He's a great guy and I'm really glad we've gotten to know each other better this year.

Concerts: Tomorrow at school and then at the Grotto Monday night. I love Christmas music!!

Luckily, this weekend has not been too heavy on homework. I don't have tests until finals week, and I only have 3 of them (the other two classes I have a project and a paper). While studying for my ethics and Bib Trad tests were stressful, I survived them both. I don't think I aced the tests, but I don't think I did horribly either. However, I just want to get them back as waiting makes me anxious. I hate the feeling of studying my butt of and not having my grade reflect my hard work. I know grades aren't always everything, but right now they are because my going to London in the summer depends on them. At least this coming week should be a little less stressful compared to this past week.

11 MORE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

Going to post photos from the Grotto and then GLEE TIME!!!

Back From Thanksgiving Break

I have been back in Portland for a few hours now, and even though it is quiet, I am happy to have a full day tomorrow where I can work on homework and get ready for the busy week ahead. Even though my time in Piedmont was short, I enjoyed seeing my family and eating yummy, non-Commons food, both in restaurants and at home. Most of you have either heard me read Thursday night or have read (on this blog or on Facebook) the essay I wrote about the impact Herman has on my life.

Yesterday was just as busy as Thanksgiving day. I met up with Lucy, an old friend from middle school, for lunch. I hadn't seen her in seven years, but we reconnected through Facebook a year and a half ago. We had been trying to get together since, but this break was the first time we've been home at the same time. We went to Zachary's (favorite pizza place in CA!) for lunch and walked around College Ave. Last night, we all went to dinner at a delicious Italian restaurant to celebrate my maternal grandma's birthday. Her birthday isn't until January, but since it's over MLK weekend, getting everyone together then isn't possible as I will have just gotten back to school and my brother and cousin Willie will be busy studying for finals.

Tomorrow is going to be a day of catching up on homework (although I already got a fair amount done), preparing for the week ahead, and grocery shopping. I have a busy two weeks left of classes before finals...and it needs to go by QUICKLY!

Thanksgiving 2009

Some of you may have heard me read this essay that I shared with my family at our Thanksgiving dinner. If I tagged you it's either because I thought you'd like to see it in print or haven't heard it but would enjoy reading it. :)

The Professor Who Cares

Every year at Thanksgiving, I am asked the same question: what am I thankful for? The number of replies I could give is endless. In my 19 years of sharing Thanksgiving with my family, I have heard (and probably given) several common responses: family, friends, and good health. Although I value these things, I am going to take my response tonight a step further. Instead of just responding with the expected answers as to what I am thankful for, I am going to share a story about how I recognize and appreciate the positive impact a recent relationship has had on my life.

As Glinda from the musical Wicked says, “I’ve heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason.” I can relate to the opening line of this song, as I have met a person early this year who has literally changed my life. This person is Herman Asarnow, my English professor this past spring and advisor. The story begins when I went to his office with questions about my paper. He not only tells me that I am a good writer, but that he appreciates and admires how much effort I put into my work. Because I was struggling with my math and science classes at the time, knowing that I have a professor who appreciates my effort and sees what I can do really meant a lot to me. I sent him an email telling him just that, and he told me to work hard, but not to be angry with myself for not being perfect or not reaching every single goal. He shared with me an inspiring quote which was “Everyone gets muddy from falling down, and the thing to do is just get up, brush off the dirt, and keep at it.” This quote and Herman’s encouragement helped me not only get through, but also pass my challenging stats and human bio classes.

Having changed my major to English in September, I met with Herman in October to ask him questions about classes for next semester. Despite my strong writing skills and dedication to my classes, I often struggle with tests. My difficulty with test taking causes my grades to be lower than they could be. I told him that I was worried about not doing well in some of my classes in which I had been struggling with on the tests. Because I met with him at the beginning of midterms week, I had upcoming two tests that were stressing me out. He said, “Look at me. I know these tests can be difficult, but you’re going to get better. You’ll do fine. I know you. You work hard and don’t slack off.” I not only got through, but also did well on both of my tests, partly because I studied hard and partly because I remembered what Herman told me when I took my tests.

When I feel overwhelmed, stressed, or hopeless, Herman always makes me feel good about myself. When I am unsure about my ability to do something, he never wants to hear excuses as to why I can’t do it. He encourages me to keep trying, not give up, and take risks. When I met with him after fall break for advising, he told me that I give him hope, which made me cry. Honestly, just knowing him has made me a completely different person. Before I got to know Herman, I was often frustrated with myself when I did not do well on tests and did not feel confident in my ability to succeed. Although tests can be difficult for me and school can be stressful, I have an easier time coping with these challenges because of Herman’s support and encouragement.

Because I still keep in touch with four of my teachers from high school, having a relationship with a professor is not new to me. However, I did not expect a professor to immensely change my life the way Herman did. This experience has taught me that you should not be afraid to let people into your life. If someone changes your life, let him or her change it. These positive experiences in the short time that I have known Herman have made me appreciate how lucky I am to have this caring and supportive professor, advisor, and friend in my life.

Everything Works Out and I'm Happy

I'm so excited to have finally figured out my schedule! Next semester I'm taking fine arts, group counseling, children's lit (an Ed, not English class), and two English classes (literary studies and Renaissance Brit Lit). Fine arts is my only core class next semester. My group counseling and children's lit classes are one afternoon a week each for three hours. I've never had a three hour class, but my friends who have say it's not as bad as it sounds. Since these classes will be subjects I'm interested in, I'm not too worried. For the first time in my college career, I'm looking forward to all of my classes (yay for only having 4 core classes left!).

Since I couldn't find any classes that interested me that started earlier than 4:10 MWF, I decided to switch from my T/TH multiethnic lit class to an English class that met MWF. My first choice was Contemporary American Lit because am I ilike American Lit, would start earlier, and I'd have the professor I have this semester, whom I really like. Because the class is a 400-level (longer papers and more in-depth research) and my literary studies class will require a fair amount of work, my advisor discouraged me from taking it. On Wednsday, I talked to my current professor and had him tell me about the workload in the class. Even though I would be able to do it if I had to, the workload felt over my head, so I decided that I would wait until after I had taken the literary studies and more 300-level English classes before tackling the challenges of a 400-level class.

I finally settled on Renaissance Brit. Lit (1400-1600). To be honest, I initially wasn't sure how interested I'd be in the class, as I'm more into American Lit. Luckily, I realized that this could be a good class to take before I go to London in the summer, as the readings will relate to a lot of what I'll see/read there. I really love learning about England, and prefer learning about it through literarture rather than a history textbook. I'm required to take three "historical lit classes," with one of them being before 1900, so this class knock one of those three classes out of the way. I start at 11:25 MWF, so I can still sleep in but not feel like I've wasted the whole day. Oh yeah, should I mention that I get to have another class with MY FAVORITE PROFESSOR EVER? That factor alone already makes me excited!

Despite this week being stressful with figuring out classes and having WAY too much to do, I still managed to have fun. Wednsday afternoon I attended a meeting for the Writers journal, a literary magazine that publishes poetry, short stories/essays, and photos, and we may even accept blogs and short plays this year. In Feburary, I'm going to help decide which submissions will go in the magazine. Last night my friends and I went to a "nacho crawl" where we got the different ingredients for nachos from each floor. Tonight was "kiddie night," where we watched Disney movies, played with Play-Doh, fingerpainted, and colored in coloring books. I had a lot of fun, and while I enjoy the freedom of being an adult, I really miss being a kid sometimes, especially when I have so much to do.

Registration Troubles ):

Despite being a sophomore who doesn't need many core classes, I thought registration would be a piece of cake this year. Not necessarily so, as abnormal psych filled up an hour before I could register. I'm not disappointed about not being able to take the class, as it's generally offered at least one semester a year. My problem is that not taking this class messes up my schedule. I had hoped to take musical theater workshop, but the days and times conflict with other psych and upper division electives.

At this point, I will have 3 hour classes Monday and Wednesday afternoons AND I wouldn't start at 4:10. While I dearly value the luxury of being able to sleep in, I'm afraid I won't get anything done. Also, I wouldn't have classes Fridays. This is a mixed blessing, as three day weekends sound awesome, yet am afraid I'll be bored. I guess not sure how I'll be able to handle three hour classes and having them spread out.

I'm also hoping to get into this marriage class, which is a "theological perspectives class." This class is taught by a sociology and theology professor, and I would get credit for both my upper division theology class and upper division class outside my major. Because of this class's popularity, I can't register online because I need a signature from one of the professors. Even though my advisor told me I wouldn't get in because seniors go for it (they register first), there are still 34 spots available. So I may be a lucky one who can get in as a sophomore, having taken world religions in the spring and am currently taking Bib Trad.

So far, I am lucky to be able to get into both of the English classes and fine arts section I wanted. The English classes I'll be taking are literary studies and multi ethnic lit. Despite the fact that I'm going to have to get up at 8:10 and the material won't be the most interesting, the professor is supposed to be VERY energetic, so hopefully his energy will make this class bearable. My multi ethnic lit class should be interesting. I haven't had either of these English professors yet, and I have heard that they're hard graders. This shouldn't kill me--if anything, it should make me a better writer. Fine arts should also be fun. My friend had the professor last fall and really liked him, not to mention an easy class and cool field trips (plays, art museum, concerts anyone?)

On the bright side, I'm meeting with my fantastic advisor tomorrow, and he'll help me figure out what I should do. I feel so lucky to have someone as wonderful as Herman to assure me that everything will be fine and work out.

Now, off too bed as tomorrow will be a new day...(:

It Rained!

Today it has been raining cats and dogs. It rained so hard that I did not leave my dorm until 4 to do some research for Bib Trad at the library. I spent most of the day in my room relaxing and working on homework. My friends went out this afternoon, but I decided to stay back because of the rain and the need to work on my Bib Trad papers and finish my reading for English (and possibly do a response paper).

While I didn't have any tests and only one paper due last week, this week was BUSY! I had to study for an ethics test and a bib trad quiz, both of which were on Wed, plus edit/get ideas about my bib trad papers and keep up with my readings for English. As a result of this and the weather, I have been tired more than usual. Particularly, I've been tired Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, mainly because I'm taking psych pass/no pass and my science class is incredibly boring. It's hard to stay motivated for classes to which I don't have to devote a lot of time. On the plus side, my English class was canceled Wed. so I had the extra hour to catch up on homework/rest.

Despite how busy I get, I always make a point to do at least one fun thing over the weekend. Yesterday some friends and I went downtown to the Llyod Center for a much needed shopping day. I bought a pair of sunglasses at Ross, and a pair of grey zebra flats at Forever 21. These buys were a present to myself as a reward for my hard work, as I got a B on my English paper and an A minus on my Bib Trad quiz.

Thursday night I went to a reading by poet Chase Twichell (see picture below). She read various poems from several of her books, and then answered questions at the end. I was excited to learn that she's a Zen Buddhist (I'm not officially Zen, but am very interested in Buddhism), hates math, and did not like the "cool" girls in high school. I talked to her after the reading, and she is very nice and was touched that I enjoyed hearing her read. As an English major, it's very cool to hear authors/poets read in person, so I'm glad I was able to go. Speaking of English major stuff, I am planning on being a panel chair or respondent, in addition to submitting one (maybe two, haven't decided) of my papers for NUCL (the literary conference I mentioned back in September). The conference will be March 20th, and I'm very excited about participating in one or both of these ways.


Next Sunday I get to register for classes! Being that I'm a sophomore and most of the classes I want to take are upper division, I should be able to get the classes I want. (:

Grades, English Major Stuff, and Halloween

Despite my reluctance to go back to classes after Fall Break, my week wasn't too bad. I got my midterms back, and I got an A on Bib Trad and a B minus on psych. Also, I found out that I actually got a C on the ethics test I thought I got an F on, thanks to my professor throwing out some questions and my misreading the grade. Okay, so maybe a C isn't great, but it's not the end of the world. Unlike last year, I'm not worried about failing any of my classes. Speaking of classes, I decided to take my psych class pass/no pass as opposed to getting a letter grade. Although I'm doing well in the class, I don't need the class since I'm not a psych major and I didn't see the need to worry about a letter grade. Plus it may even help with my GPA as I want to go abroad.

Another exciting event was that I not only met with Herman to plan my courses for next semester (more on that in a few weeks, as I don't register until 11/15 Sun night), but that I got my English major form back. This means that the College of Arts and Sciences and the Registrar's office recognize me as an English major. I had a great session Wed, and unlike last year where I only spent 5 (or fewer) minutes with my psych advisor, I spent 20 minutes with Herman. He gave me candy in honor of Halloween, but most importantly he told me that I give him hope (this deserves a seperate entry which I will post at the end of November!).

Registration form (yellow), pass/no pass form (white); major declaration form

Tonight was Halloween, and despite my inability to find a Mulan costume as I had hoped, I was still able to dress up. Thanks to the birthday tiara MacK gave me and one of Megan's prom dresses, I dressed up as a princess. I also handed out candy to kids who trick or treat in our building, who were extremely cute. Aside from giving out candy to the kids, I didn't do too much as I've had a headache since last night.

Sam and Lauren's door Dana and Kaelyn's door


Sam and I Dana and Kaelyn Megan, MacK, and Traci

As always, thanks for reading!

Yay for Fall Break!

Wow, I can't believe I go back to Portland on Sunday! Exactly a week ago I was sitting on the couch in Amy's apartment watching Friends and eating devil's food cake. I have been here in the bay since Sunday, and surprisingly, have been busier than I expected. I enjoyed lunch, coffee, and dinner dates with family friends and two of my four favorite high school teachers. I always enjoy going to my favorite restaurants, particularly Kirala, Sushiya, Soi Four, and Cactus. Although most of my friends are not in the area, I was lucky enough to enjoy the company of my girls Arielle and Jess. Arielle and I enjoyed sushi at Sushiya, while Jess and I had dinner at Cafe Roma (on College Ave) and saw the biopic Amelia. We both liked the movie, and agreed that the second half was better than the first. As many of you may know, my mom broke her leg six weeks ago. She's recovering well, but the process is slow. This means I've had to drive her to appointments and do errands, which I didn't mind doing. After all, she's driven me around for 18 years so I was more than happy to help. (: This afternoon my mom and I had lunch and got our nails done.

On another note, I've been doing something I don't normally do: watch TV. Because of this, I am now officially hooked on Glee. For those of you who aren't familiar with the show, it's about a teacher's challenge to direct a high school glee club and follow the lives of the kids in the club. The dance numbers are fantastic, and make me want to break out into song and dance. My mom told me about the show before I came home and thought I would love it. Lucky for me, I have some friends who are fans so now we can have Glee parties! I'm going to ask for the soundtrack for Christmas/my birthday, so now I have to listen to the songs on You Tube.

To be honest, I have mixed feelings about leaving. I'm excited to see my friends in Portland, but would like another 1-3 days to relax. Given the stress I've been under with studying for midterms and writing my English paper, I'm not sure I'm ready get back to the world of writing papers and studying for tests. But we shall see...

Amazing Weekend of Amyness

I kicked off Fall Break by spending this weekend with my amazing friend Amy. While stats and bio sucked and I forgot virtually everything I learned, the one good thing about those classes was that I met Amy. She lived in my dorm so this made studying together convenient. We became really close, and unfortunately, she was not able to come back to UP for financial reasons. Although I am sad that we do not go to school together, we regularly talk on the phone or on Facebook. To make things even better, Stockton and Piedmont are only an hour and a half away, so this makes perfect for visits.

The weekend began on Friday when Amy picked me up from the Sacramento airport and went from there to her apartment. I just happened to arrive on her birthday, so along with her mom and aunt who was also visiting, we had devil's food cake and watched Friends. I pillaged cookies from the Commons (the cafeteria I eat at daily) and gave her a card and list of 19 things I like about our friendship. Besides the four of us cuddled up on the couch, we were lucky to be in the company of her 3 month old Maltese/poodle puppy Milly. Milly is very cute and fun, and likes jumping, licking, and biting people. We try to get her to stop biting by giving her a chew toy.

Saturday morning we went out to breakfast with her brother and his girlfriend. We went to a French restaurant called Brittanie's where we had delicious beingents and I had a Nutella crepe with strawberries. We saw her brother's dog at the vet as he is recovering from a virus, but is doing better. Afterwards, we went shopping and I bought a sweater at Forever 21. That night we celebrated her birthday with dinner at BJ's and frozen yogurt at Nubi (yay for pumpkin with a wide selection of topping choice, cost determined by the pound) with her friend Andrea.

My dad picked me up this afternoon so I have been home since 4:45. I went to Kirala with the fam to satisfy my six week sushi cravings. I've been home unpacking, visiting with my parents, and made pumpkin muffins. My week consists of coffee and lunch dates with family friends and old teachers, seeing Arielle and Jess (my two friends who are here), driving my mom places (she broke her leg a month ago-more to come on that), and relaxing.

Wordstock, Coffeehouse, and The Usual Busyness

Today I had the pleasure of going to Wordstock with 6 other English Society members. This event took place at a convention center about 10 minutes away from UP. Local authors read from their works, and there's tons of book vendors where you can buy books on sale. I bought some bumper stickers and a book of essays from a teacher, and picked up a free journal of poetry and essays from local high school students and a few pins. We also listened to Candy Tan, a UP alum and romance novelist talk about creating romance novels. Besides listening to her talk, we did Mad libs, which was a lot of fun. This event broadened my literary horizons, and I'm really glad I went. Aside from the awesome events I get to participate in, I get to meet fun people in this club. It's nice having some literary nerds to hang out with, and we're trying to get non-English majors to attend. Of the seven of us who attended, only four of us are English majors; the other three are French (with an English minor), engineering, and environmental science majors. I even had a nice conversation with the cute environmental science major who is a vegan and into sci-fi. :)

Friday night I went to Coffeehouse. The Campus Program Board (CPB) brings various bands to campus, and students can attend at no charge. Also, there's free coffee drinks (courtesy of Espresso UP's baristas, the same people who provide free coffee drinks Wed. night) and goodies. The band who performed was a duo called Ryanhood, and their music was light rock/alternative. I really enjoyed being able to relax and hear some good music after a long week of classes.

This coming week is midterm week, so I have been busy studying for my psych and Bib Trad midterms. I've also been working on my English paper and managing a heavy load of 70-80 pages a night of In Cold Blood. For those of you who are not familiar with the book, In Cold Blood is Truman Capote's account of a murder, with several witnesses. All this work is tiring me out and I'm very excited for Fall Break. I'm going to spend the weekend with Amy in Stockton, and then home for a week with the fam. Hopefully, I'll make it through another week!

Banned Books Week and other English stuff

This week is Banned Books Week, and in honor of this important week in the literary world, the English Society sponsored two events. On Monday, we read excerpts from various banned books and discussed the future of our club. Our student government has not recognized the English Society as an "official club" on campus, so we compiled a roster with members' names and contact info to get ASUP (Associated Students of UP) to give us funding, as we're in debt. Thursday night we watched Catch-22. Even though I haven't read the book previously and did not know the story, I really enjoyed the movie. Our president made chocolate chip cookies, and our VP made chocolate peanut butter chex mix, both of which were very delicious. The events are a lot of fun, and everyone's really nice and I like being around others who share my love for any and everything literary!

On Tuesday, I heard back from one of the professors co-chairing NUCL, and I unfortunately did not get the internship. While I was excited about the possibility of interning, I honestly wasn't too disappointed. With eight applicants for three spots, I knew the position was competitive. Also, I was told that a lot of times priority is given to students later in their college career (particularly seniors) because they wouldn't have a chance to do this in the future. Finally, I didn't attend the conference last year, so I knew applying for this postion would be a long shot. But hey, if you don't try you don't know--I could very well get to do this next year or the year after.

On the bright side, I have other opportunities to possibly be involved with NUCL. I can be a panelist (chair or respondent). Students are divided into groups of 3 or 4 people depending on their paper topics, and 2 students (chair and respondent) initiate discussion. I can do that, and/or present a paper. I still have my papers from last semester, and I've been briefly looking at them to see if I would submit one or all of them for the conference. I could also submit a paper from my current English class, depending on how well I do. Submissions are accepted from early December to mid-January so I have some time before I have to decide.

Not surprisingly, I'm still loving my English class! We're reading Hiroshima, which is disturbing at times, but a very well-written reportage by John Hersey. I really like this book, as I'm enjoying learning more about what this horrible event was like for the six survivors he interviews. I got an A (7/7) on my most recent quiz, and have a paper due in a week. I've started brainstorming ideas, as I'm going to write it on my current book. I have a little over 40 pages left, so I haven't gotten too far. Luckily, I'm going to start working on the first draft this weekend before I talk to my professor and meet with my friend who's a writing assistant.

On a non-English note, I turned in my study abroad application and had my interview with the student coordinator for the London humanities program. Once the rest of my recommendations come in, I can schedule an interview with the studies abroad director. After that interview, it's working hard to get good grades and anxiously waiting until January.

Cathedral Park

Here are some pictures from Cathedral Park, a park in the St. John's neighborhood. For those of you who aren't familiar with Portland, the St. John's neighborhood is a 5 min. bus ride from UP


L-R: view of the lake; boat on the lake; view of the St. John's bridge



L-R: Cady, Dana, and Kaelyn walking on the beach; MacK and Me; rocky beach


St. John's bridge, Take 2


My girls

Week 4 in Review

I have officially made it through 4 weeks of school. It's hard to believe that just a month ago I was moving in and unpacking my stuff. Here is my week in review

1)Tests: Ethics Wed. and Bib Trad today. I studied my butt off for both, so I'm hoping for the best, but don't want to get too confident. We shall see next week...

2)NUCL Interview: I had my interview for this internship today. As I said in a previous entry, there's only three positions, so it's a little competitive. Luckily, the two professors who interviewed me (the co-chairs) are really nice and I could tell that they liked how I responded to the questions they asked (why I want to be an intern, how my personal qualities/experiences can meet their expectations, if I worked, and if there was a certain position I wanted). If I got the position, I would have to devote at least an hour a week to meeting with the professors and other interns to help plan the conference. Luckily, I don't work so with regards to the last question, the professors aren't making any promises for specific positions; I told them that I didn't care which position I got, but that I just wanted the experience of helping plan the conference and get to know the English department better. If I don't get the internship, I will apply to be a panel chair, respondent, or submit a paper.

3)Made my day: I asked my Bib Trad professor some questions about my first research paper, and she told me that she bragged to someone about how much she enjoys having me in class and how well I've done on the first 3 papers (A's on all of them!). She's a fabulous storyteller, not to mention, really funny and sweet. Despite my atheism, I actually enjoy going to this class.

4)Soccer game: Portland v.s. OSU. We won 1-0!

5)New perspectives: Had coffee with a fellow English major with whom I went to high school. I really liked talking with her about classes, professors, and the overall experience of being an English major.

6)Save the best for last: Although the peeps in the College of Arts and Sciences have not processed my paperwork to change my major, I already have my advisor. I emailed Herman to follow up with our meeting Thursday, and he asked me if I wanted him or another professor as my advisor. My first thought was, "Is this a joke? Do I really get to pick my advisor?" I emailed him back asking if I had to submit any forms to request him as my advisor. As the chair, he told me that he likes to ask if students have a preference. That said, I am super juiced and am extremely lucky to have my favorite professor follow my academic career for the next three years.

Greek food with the Girls!

Last night my friends and I went out for Greek food at an excellent restaurant downtown called Greek Cuisina. The pita bread was to die for, and I had octopus and calamari. Cady and I shared a delicious strawberry shortcake. We had hoped to go dancing at the club upstairs, but it didn't open until late. We just walked around Pioneer Square afterwards.

FEET!

All of us at Greek Cuisina (L-R: Sam, Dana, Me, Cady, MacK, Kaelyn, and Megan)

Dana and Sam


Cady and Me


Dana and Cady

Megan and I riding the deer

On the English Major Front

After a week of thinking about this big decision, I was positive that I wanted to be an English major. However, I was unsure as to whether I should change now, or wait until later in the semester once I got more work back. On Monday I got a quiz and response paper back in English, both of which I got B's. However, I still wasn't sure as to whether or not I should switch for fear that I would have switched too early without giving my current class some time to see how I do. On Thursday, I asked Herman what he thought, and he told me that either way was fine, and that I don't need to stress out too much about it. Thanks to his advice and encouragement, I submitted the paperwork to the College of Arts and Sciences office yesterday. Despite not having a new advisor and having to wait 2-3 weeks to get the form back, I consider myself officially an English major.

Every spring, UP sponsors a conference called "NUCL" (Northwest Undergraduate Conference of Literature). I got an email from one of the professors co-chairing the conference looking for interns. I met with the professor today to ask her questions, and will have an interview next week. There's only three positions, and it's a little competitive since 8-10 people on average apply. Also, the professor told me that sometimes seniors get priority because it would be their last chance to do this (not always a make or break factor). If I got this position, some of my duties would include administrative tasks (e-mail correspondence, entering info into a database), reading papers and deciding which ones will be accepted in the conference, logistical stuff (ordering coffee, making name tags). I e-mailed with one of the interns last year who really enjoyed the experience. I did not attend the conference last year, as Cady and I hosted a prospective student for Weekend on the Bluff (needed the day to clean my room and do homework!). Essentially, it might be a long shot as I was not at the conference last year and the positions are competitive, but hey, why not?

Surprisingly, my homework load this weekend isn't terrible as I got a lot done yesterday. Mostly I have to study for tests Wednesday and Friday. Tonight my friends and I are going out for Greek food and dancing, which should be awesome. Until next time!

Major Crisis /:

This week, I've been dealing with a major crisis. Although I'm only two weeks into the school year, I'm absolutely in love with my English class. Currently, I am a psych major English minor and considered the following three options: a)keep major/minor the same b)double major (seems like the ideal solution, but I think it would be a lot of work--I already have enough work in college!) or c)change my major entirely. This is a tough decision because I like both subjects. My psych class is not the most inspiring, but research methods is a required class so it's not surprising. It's not too bad since my professor tries not to make class too boring and we're starting our project (my partner and I are researching the social scene in high school among girls, which has been a big interest to me). Basically, I've known I wanted to work with kids since I was 11. The problem is, I cannot decide whether I want to be a school counselor or teach English. I really enjoy helping others with their problems, and my friends think that I'm a good listener and give good advice. However, English has always been my favorite subject, which has made me want to teach it. Not only do I love to read and write, but I've had a fabulous teacher my junior and senior years of high school and 2 awesome professors here at UP.

As you may know, I originally declared a secondary ed/English major when I applied to UP with intent of being an English teacher. However, I fell in love with my high school psych class, and that made me consider psych as a possible major. Although my general psych class was tough, I declared the major because I thought it would be good preparation for a career as a school counselor. At the time, I did not know that teaching is a career where you can get a liberal arts degree and then go back to grad school to get a master's or a credential (depending on if the school is public or private). I did not take English fall semester last year because I had hoped my AP score would get me out of ENG 112. Unfortunately, I did not score high enough to get out of the class, so I was bummed about having to take the class because I thought it would be a repeat of my class senior year. When planning my schedule for spring semester, I decided to take it. I honestly did not care who my professor was as English has always been my best subject and I'd survived two terrible teachers my freshman and sophomore years of high school. I ended up liking it so much that I declared an English minor by the end of the first month. Honestly, I had no idea that I'd want to go to class every day and that my professor would literally end up changing my life.

During these past couple days, I was reminded of a conversation I had with a senior English major friend last year. She used to work as a hall receptionist in my dorm, and is currently in my English class. We liked talking about the books we read, and she said "why don't you become an English major?" I thought that minoring would be enough, but right now I kept thinking, "you know what, Alyssa, you're right. I think I might conisder changing."

The major reasons I was concerned about changing was that I would regret doing it and not have made the right choice, and that it would not be "practical" in terms of my dream to work with children. After several stressful days of thinking about it, I realized that I have all my life to get a job, and that I should enjoy studying something about which I am truly passionate. Plus, many people change careers (and majors!) so I'm not alone. While psych may lead to more child-related careers, I'm currently at the point where I could see myself as an English teacher. I could always teach for a few years, and then get a school counseling degree. In fact, my high school psych teacher was also one of the school counselors! I used to feel that my major had to lead to a specific career path, but now I'm okay with the fact that I'm not 100% sure what I want to do yet (and don't have to!).

My stress alleviated on Thursday when I talked to the two people who could best help me with this decision. While I expected my advisor to tell me to stay a psych major and the English department chair to tell me I should be an English major, both were unbiased. I told them both about what attracted me to both subjects, my career aspirations, and major changes (sec. ed to undeclared to psych/English minor). My advisor encouraged me to switch to English if that was what I was passionate about, and told me I could still minor in psych (which I plan on doing). I had thought about double majoring in English and psych, but decided against it because I thought it would be too much. While people can and do double major in these two subjects, it's not as common as psych and soc. Luckily, she agreed with me in that I have all my life to choose a career and should do something I love.

My next visit that day was with the English department chair, and luckily I not only know, but have a personal relationship with this person. Yes, for those of you don't know, Herman (my fabulous professor last spring), is the dept. chair. I felt confused, anxious, and stressed when I walked into his office, and literally left with a new, positive outlook about myself and the situation. I went in, and told him, "I'm having a major crisis right now in that I'm considering switching my major to English." He just smiled at me and said, "tell me about it." I told him everything, and when I mentioned that I wanted to work with children, he said "I know you do" (I told him about my summer job and mentioned that in an essay I gave him). He even told me that my reasons for wanting to change were good reasons, which I didn't quite expect. I showed him a copy of the worksheet with the classes I had taken, and checked to make sure that I could still graduate in four years. He told me about the classes I'd need to take, and assured me that graduating in four years wouldn't be a problem as I've taken mostly core classes. He gave me the English majors handbook, which had an article about why liberal arts graduates are valued by employers. Herman recognized that this decision is difficult, and told me everything will work out fine. Because I have not done much written work for my current English class, I want to see not only how I do, but if I'll still be up to a heavy reading and writing load. That said, I have not made any definite decisions. However, just talking to him made me feel a billion times better, and at this point, I am 90% sure that I'm going to change my major. I consider myself a pretty lucky gal to have someone as positive, supportive, and caring as Herman to help me with this difficult and stressful decision.

I will keep everyone updated as the semester goes on. Provided all goes well, I hope to officially make the change by mid-November, which is when registration is. This will allow me to get my new advisor and work with him/her to make sure I'm taking the right classes.

Expect more next week from your future English-major-to-be :)

Pictures from Last Weekend

As promised, here's the pictures from the Activities Fair last weekend!



Go triple! MacKenzie, Megan, and Traci

Go Dana!

MacK, Traci, and me


2/3 of the triple: Traci and MacK

Dana and Kaelyn on the Slip and Slide

Kaelyn, Dana, and me

Imitating the Cingular bar ad

Some of my favorite people here at UP!

I love my girls to no end

Go Traci!

Kaelyn, Dana, Sam, MacK and Traci

Queen Rommie (Cady)

Pilots v.s. U of VA soccer game: Pilots lost ):

Wally Pilot, our mascot