December 30, 2008

I am happy to report that the paper writing went well and I ended my semester successfully! Looking back I was very lucky with the classes I took this fall; as a history and English double major I usually get asked, “How do you do all the reading and paper writing?” but I have never seen it as a hassle. This fall was the third time I have taken only English and History classes and though it was tough at times, it helps that I truly enjoy both subjects. Rhetoric was probably my favorite class this semester, maybe even at Holy Cross; it was something very different for me and it certainly wasn’t your typical English class. We did read passages on the art of rhetoric and wrote papers as well, but most of our grade was focused on our speeches and I think the practical art of Public Speaking is something I realized I not only enjoyed, but was good at!

Public speaking was central to my many extracurricular activities this past semester. My involvement with CAB grew, especially through the NACA conference that I attended, and it was mostly due to the presentations, committee meetings and proposals I contributed to. Looking back I realize that I have not talked as much as I should have about my other major commitment this past semester-Senior Interviewing (which is really unacceptable, considering I spent 5-7 hours each week working with admissions)! Unfortunately my time as an interviewer is over, it’s only a first semester post because students usually do not interview in the Spring, but next semester I will continue to give tours and talk at some open houses. I have been thinking a lot about Senior Interviewing since going out to dinner with my mentor Amanda, Tran from admissions and fellow interviewers (everyone’s first time at the Soul Proprietor should be on the college, DELICIOUS!) I am so lucky to have had the chance to work that closely with admissions, it opened a new path for me that I had never thought of before and allowed me to meet really amazing students. It’s bittersweet to realize I won’t be at Holy Cross when they embark on the same journey I did three and a half years ago, but I have faith that the class of 2013 will be one of the best yet, if the students I have interviewed are any proof!

The last days of finals are always some of the most crazy and strenuous of the year; my mentality is always “you can relax and sleep when you go home”…therefore I basically collapsed when finals were over. I returned home to a beautiful Christmas tree, a roaring fire in the fireplace and candles in the windows and while I adore Holy Cross, I was happy to leave it for a few weeks to spend time home for the holidays. I had a great Christmas, we always spend time in Holyoke which is where most of my family lives and is about 15 minutes from Northampton. The one downside to seeing my family is the question I got at least 20 times on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day… “so what are you doing next year?” I didn’t help that my cousin Danny heard me complaining about it and proceeded to tell EVERYONE who would listen that I was graduating in the Spring and that they should ask me what my plans were. This break is really forcing me to face the fact that my future after Holy Cross is a reality and I need to start building it for myself. I am lucky to know what I want for a future career, and I think I will use the rest of my break to figure out how to achieve that goal!

For your enjoyment, I attached some pictures of our “Christmas-y” room at school, the ice storm we had, and various holiday pictures (including the Heston annual Christmas card picture, complete with college sweatshirts)!

Summer 08 june 089
Christmas 003
Christmas 085
Christmas 091
Christmas 109
Christmas 116

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