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(newer entries are at the bottom!)
Blog 1: Preseason…ahhhhh!
I can't believe that summer is officially over. It flew by way too fast, and now here I am in the middle of my last preseason ever…I can't believe it! I'm a little excited and anxious at the same time. Usually at this time of year I'm ready to come back, but I kind of feel that this year is "the beginning of the end" and that scares me a little!
I haven't had too much time to focus on that right now though. My last few days have been exhausting having three practices per day. My shin splints are back with a vengeance this season, so everyone's been getting a laugh at my expense as I walk around with huge bags of ice saran wrapped to my legs! I almost want to laugh when I walk into the cafeteria and see all the other sports teams…we all have the same miserable looks on our faces, and we are all sharing each other's pain!
It's great to be able to see everyone again and hear about their summer and all the drama that went down. I'm kind of bumming that there was a Bob Dylan concert Wednesday AND a Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young concert Friday, neither of which I can attend because of practice. I'm a huge fan of both, and it's not like they put on concerts every summer, especially in this area. But I guess I shouldn't be complaining…I did get to see Journey, Def Leppard and Live in concert this summer, so I didn't fare too badly!
Well, I better get some rest. There's no telling what Coach will have in store for us tomorrow. But it's all worth it in the end. GO ALBRIGHT!
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Blog 2: First week of classes…The beginning of the end.
So, I can't believe classes have started already. Summer is definitely over…the leaves are already starting to turn and fall. I'm taking a photography class this semester that I'm really looking forward to. We actually have to use old school style .35mm cameras and develop the pictures ourselves in the black room. I think it'll be interesting because people are so enthralled in the digital world that analog photography is really becoming a lost art. Plus, whatever I develop could make fun and cheap Christmas gifts!
I'm also taking "Forensic Chemistry," "Organized Crime" and "American Institutions" (my political science senior seminar), all of which seem like they'll be great classes. Conveniently, I happened to schedule my classes so that I have Fridays off, which is genius. However, I really pay for it Tuesday through Thursday when I'm in class almost all day from 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. This whole "class" thing is really infringing on my daily nap time!
I just registered online to take my GREs for grad school…and $130 later; I'll be taking them the day before Thanksgiving. $130…can you believe that?! It's outrageous, but all the greater encouragement to do well the first time! I've got exactly three months to finish preparing (I've been working on it sporadically this summer), so wish me happy studying! Although I don't know how I'm going to find time for field hockey, class work, AND this…Ugh, I'm feeling overwhelmed already and it's only the first week!
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Blog 3: September 11th, 2001
I can't believe it's been 5 years since the attacks on the Word Trade Center. I hear older generations speaking of profound moments in their lifetime. "Where were you when JFK was shot?" "Where were you when they dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?" "What were you doing when John Lennon was killed?" I never understood why people would ask each other that until I shared my first "Where were you?" experience.
I can remember exactly where I was on September 11th, 2001 at 8:46am. I was in 11th grade at the time, sitting in health class about to be "married" to another random classmate across the room. Our teacher's husband had been on a business trip to New York that week, and so a concerned co-worker had come in to alert her of what had just happened. Immediately the TV went on and would remain on the rest of the period.
I remember thinking what a beautiful day it was outside…how could some idiot accidentally hit the Trade Center? It seemed like something you'd have to try to do. I would realize my thoughts would be all too correct approximately 17 minutes later, when at 9:03am I watched on live TV as a second plane hit the South Tower.
I can only imagine the pure pandemonium in New York on that day. But reflecting back, I now realize why people remember where they were during significant historical events. We remember because it's something so profound that it affects everything in our lives from one degree to another. Be it our "freedom" fries or our privacy protection from the government: Everything changes. We remember where we were because it's the last experience we had before our worldview drastically changed forever. Where were you?
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Blog 4: Senior Thesis
Ah, yes. The much anticipated beginning to senior year has commenced. I'm coming down the homestretch, and it should almost be a cakewalk from here on out, right? So, then why do I feel more caught up than ever?! Two Words: Senior Thesis. It's one more thing to put on my to-do list before graduation, and one more thing to completely stress me out!
I need to keep this in perspective though. I have almost two whole semesters to complete it, and along the way I have structured deadlines for each part of the paper. As long as I make a good strategy and stick to it, this shouldn't be unbearable. Plus, it will hopefully greatly benefit me in my post-graduation endeavors. After I graduate, I'd like to be accepted into a graduate program and obtain my Master's degree in Political Science. The Thesis should look very attractive to admissions counselors and give them an accurate sample of my research and writing abilities.
I've decided to stick to something I'm familiar with in regards to the topic I'm choosing. Throughout my studies in the Political Science department here at Albright, I've always had a particular interest in the globalization phenomenon as it relates to international development. I plan to examine both sides of the argument on globalization through researching the effects it has on poverty, disease, and hunger in Third World countries. The proposal for my Thesis is due at the end of the week, so cross your fingers that it gets approved!
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Blog 5: Off-campus living
There's been so much debate going on lately about the off-campus living situation at Albright. So many neighbors feel that the collective behavior of the off-campus student body has gotten so out of control that they're forming a coalition against us to get us out of "their" neighborhoods. The last time I checked, the college is continuing to celebrate its 150th birthday, so it seems to me that the college has been a part of this neighborhood in the Northeast section of Reading for longer than any of these residents!
It's just upsetting to me, as an off-campus resident who is respectful of her neighbors that we're getting a bad wrap for other people's actions…people that may not necessarily even live off campus. I've personally been lucky to have awesome neighbors that don't have a problem if we get a little loud on the weekends, but others students have been less fortunate.
In all fairness though, the complaints of some neighbors are valid and some do put up with an overwhelming amount of debauchery. I don't think the solution is to ban students from living off-campus. The college isn't prepared to house that many students at this point. But I wouldn't want to deal with loud music and other debauchery during my retirement or while I'm trying to raise a family either. I think the solution lies in a compromise of both parties. Students living off campus and those attending off-campus parties need to act like the adults that they now are. On the same token, residents need to continue to be receptive to students that go out of their way to be respectful and help those of us who may need it to learn to be good neighbors.
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Blog 6: E-A-G-L-E-S, EAGLES!
This is the year: we're going all the way! "Just like every year, right?" as any skeptical spectator would say. Sure, they got off to a great 1-0 start on the road. But last week's rivalry conference game against the Giants makes me question whether or not the Eagles can pull off another Superbowl appearance this year, let alone win it. They had a 14-point advantage going into the fourth quarter, and somehow managed to blow it and send the game into overtime, ultimately losing by a touchdown. The Giants aren't even that good this year! The Eagles managed 7 sacks that game and still somehow managed to lose. Unbelievable! There's no way they can afford to play like that in the rest of their games, especially against their other conference rivalry, Dallas, with a certain Terrell Owens starting at receiver. By the way, I'd do anything to see them play against Dallas in Philly this year! They've got to prove how much better off they are without him, but this weekend's performance was not a very good indicator of that. But you can't dwell on the past. What's done is done and all we can look forward to is a better game at San Francisco next week. Let's go Eagles!
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Blog 7: West Point
About a week ago, I applied to attend an annual conference at West Point Military Academy through Albright's Political Science Department. The name of the conference is SCUSA - Student Conference on US Affairs. I just found out a few days ago that I've been selected as one of two students to represent Albright at this conference. I'm VERY excited! The conference will run from November 8-11, 2006. This year's topic is globalization, extremism, and resources…three issues I've become familiar with during my studies in the political science department. I've written several papers regarding the globalization phenomenon, so that is one issue I'll be particularly interested in while at the conference.
I just received some more specific information regarding the details of the conference. Apparently West Point is approximately fifty miles north of New York City. During the three-day conference, we'll be placed into "round table" discussion groups that are focused either on a particular topic or region of the world. While at West Point, we will stay in the barracks. I can only imagine what that will be like!
Apparently Albright offers something called a Student Travel Grant for conferences such as this one, to help cover the expenses associated with the trip. I'm in the process of figuring out how to apply for one of these. I've looked up flight schedules on Expedia.com for nearby airports, but it doesn't look like there are any available flights for the appropriate days and times I'll be traveling. Looks like I'll be driving up to West Point. According to MapQuest, it's a little over a three-hour drive. Not too bad, but I hope I can avoid traffic from the City.
This sound like it will be an excellent and fulfilling experience to help me prepare for a career in the field of political science. This should also strengthen the appeal of my résumé, both to graduate admissions counselors and to potential employers. Be sure to check back later to see how the conference went!
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Blog 8: Fall Break…Finally!
Thank goodness it's almost Fall Break. Not that I need a break from classes, I just need a chance to catch up on a lot of things that have quickly approaching deadlines! It always feels like the professors have this conspiracy against the students to make all assignments due within days of each other! Not to mention I need to keep preparing for the GREs, which are exactly seven weeks away from today. It seems like the more I study, the more I realize how much I don't know. Plus, on top of all of that, I need to begin filling out graduate school applications, because most of those deadlines will be here before I know it. I haven't decided all of the schools I'll be applying to, but I do know that I'll definitely be applying to Marquette University in Milwaukee, and Temple University in Philadelphia. I think I want to apply to about five or six schools, so that leaves about three or four more up in the air.
As for the rest of Fall Break I don't have any plans that are too exciting. I have field hockey practice just about every day of the break, which kind of cuts into any plans that I would have otherwise made. We play Juniata College on Saturday. This is a HUGE conference game; because they are currently 7-1 overall and I think 3-1 in the conference. This win would be huge for our team and a big upset in the MAC conference. I really, really want to beat them! We haven't throughout my duration on the team.
Luckily I live fairly close to Albright, so even with a busy practice schedule, I'll still be able to go home after Saturday's game and see my family and friends. I find that this year I miss them more than any other year. I really miss my dogs, Libby and Madison, too. I don't think we'll have any spectacular plans, just some quality family time. It'll be nice to relax. Until then, better get back to my daily grind!
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Blog 9: Homecoming
Wow, I can't believe that this weekend is Fall Break, and then the following weekend is Homecoming already! It feels like we just started the school year! This semester has been flying by so far, and I don't anticipate the pace to slow down at all. This year for Homecoming our field hockey game will be played on Friday night instead of the usual Saturday afternoon. I think this is the best idea Albright Athletics has had in a long time! In years past, our game usually conflicts with the football team, which has had several disadvantages for us. First, we were forced to play on Kelchner field, which doesn't even compare to the new turf field in the stadium. Second, most of the returning alumni and current students participating in Homecoming festivities usually ditch our game to watch football and tailgate. Third, my teammates and I usually end up missing most of the football game and other early day festivities ourselves because we're playing.
I think this year is going to be different though. I really, really hope we get a good turn out to our game Friday night. Yes, it's a Friday night, but as far as I know, not too many students will want to go out the night before Homecoming and be too tired the next day and miss out on all the fun. Not to mention we're playing Susquehanna University, also a conference game. We haven't beaten them since I've been at Albright either, and now we're playing them on Homecoming of all days. It would be so great if we had the stands full of students and parents cheering for us.
My parents are planning on coming out and tailgating at the football game this year, so that should be interesting. I think my mom is planning on making Italian sausage sandwiches; she loves cooking for people. Hopefully I'll get to see a lot of old friends returning for the weekend. I bet there will be some good stories to tell come Monday morning!
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Blog 10: Post-Homecoming
Wow, let me just say that homecoming was A LOT of fun this year! Except for the fact that football, soccer, and our team (field hockey) all lost our games. I'm not exactly sure why tough games were scheduled for homecoming; it's kind of a no-brainer that you're supposed to win your own homecoming game! Nevertheless, it was a really fun-filled weekend. It was great to see so many alumni back at Albright. It was interesting to hear what everyone has been up to since graduation. I can't believe that will be me in a year! Scary! Tailgating at the football game was also a blast. There were so many people; my parent even came to join in the festivities! Sadly though, it's now over and back to the usual grind.
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Blog 11: Halloween
After much careful thought and consideration, I've decided upon my Halloween costume for this year: Marilyn Monroe. I really think I can pull it off. I went to Party City the other day and bought the infamous white dress she's famous for sporting. I have a pair of bright red pumps that will match the bright red lipstick I intend on wearing. All I need to do is draw a mole on my cheek and style my hair like hers and I'll be set to go. I wasn't sure if I should go the wig route, but I think my hair is light enough that I can pull off her look with some hot rollers. Halloween was always my favorite holiday growing up, and now that I'm grown I find I still like it just as much. Any excuse to act like a kid again is a good enough one for me!
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Blog 12: Halloween Follow-up, November 4, 2006
Halloween was a BLAST! The whole Marilyn Monroe costume went off without a hitch, except my hair was a bit longer than hers. We had a few people over to our house and then went to a Halloween party down the street where most of my friends were. There were definitely some interesting costumes: It seems as if the favorites were those revolving around the either a) one of Will Ferrell's many characters (Ron Burgundy and Ricky Bobby just to name a few), b) anything involving the 80s (rock stars and prom queens), c) and for girls…anything scantily-clad in general. I would have to say that Halloween is one of my favorite holidays because when else is it acceptable to dress totally outrageously? I guess I never really grew out of the whole dress-up phase from when I was little!
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Blog 13: Mulberry, November 6, 2006
Now that field hockey is over and my summer savings has been sufficiently depleted, I've decided to get a part time job. I was recently hired to work as a teacher's aide at Mulberry Child Care and Preschool, located on Kutztown Road. I'm scheduled for mornings - starting either at 6:30 a.m. or 7:00 a.m. and lasting until 9:00am. The hours are REALLY early for me, but it's very convenient considering my classes start at 9:30am everyday. It's nice knowing that by 4:00 p.m. everyday I can say that I've already put in a few hours of work and attended all my classes, leaving the rest of the evening for whatever I might want to do. And believe it or not, as the weeks go by it is beginning to get easier waking up that early everyday.
The ages range of the children varies anywhere from infant to about 10 years old. I'm usually working in the Preschool rooms. For the most part all of the kids are great. Lately I've also been working in the Toddler room. They're a bit of a handful but also a lot of fun. It's fun to watch them learn to walk and talk and discover new things each day.
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Blog 14: West Point, November 13, 2006
From November 8-11th, 2006 I attended the 58th annual Student Conference on US Affairs (SCUSA) at West Point Military Academy in West Point, New York. What an experience! I was able to meet students from all over the country and world. I met people from France, Germany, and even Pakistan! We spent the duration of the conference discussing pertinent political issues. In particular, I was in a discussion group concerned with global social concerns. We discussed many of the challenges revolving around human rights. Human trafficking (the modern day version of slavery) was the issue my group chose to focus our policy paper on. At the end of the conference we put on a skit for the rest of the attendees.
This was a great chance to do a lot of important networking that may benefit me in the future. Within my discussion group, one of our moderators was Sam Brock, the senior speechwriter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) was also the keynote speaker at the conference. It was a rather exciting time to be at such an event, considering just earlier that week the Democrats took control of both the House and Senate and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld resigned from his post.
I also had the opportunity to learn much about the history of West Point itself. It was given its name because it's the western-most point on the Hudson River. During the Revolutionary War, George Washington stationed his men there in an effort to intercept British ships sailing by. He chose this point because the British ships would have to slow down significantly to make it around the turn, therefore allowing enough time for Washington's troops to get off as many cannons as possible, hopefully sinking the ships. This plan was never actually used though, as history tells us the Brits never came from that direction.
It was nice experiencing military life for a few days, but I don't think I'd want to live there myself. The barracks are a significantly more strict than any regular college dormitory, and life in general there seems too bleak and uniform. I have a tremendous amount of respect for those who can hack it there for four years.
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Blog 15: Hairball, November 13, 2006
On Saturday I attended an annual charity event hosted at Club Pure (a predominantly gay club in Philadelphia) called Hair Ball. All the proceeds of the event go towards finding cures for cancer and AIDS. It was a little bit unorthodox to say the least. Basically, there were between 5 and 10 salons competing in the contest. My friend, Abby, works for United Artists in West Reading, and so a bunch of my friends from home and I were there to support her and her salon. Anyway, each salon chooses a theme (United Artist's was Alice in Wonderland) to which they decorate their models and do their hair as eccentrically as possible. They are then evaluated by a panel of judges, and prizes are given out accordingly. United Artists was able to walk away with Best of Show and Most Intricate Hair Design. It was quite a night to remember, and definitely a different but fun experience for a great cause!
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Blog 16: Thanksgiving
It's officially that time of year again - the holiday season. I remember when I was little thinking 365 days until the next Christmas seemed like an eternity; now I can't believe it's here again! Since my field hockey season has ended, I've been busier than ever. It was nice to have a few days off from classes, but I didn't get much R&R because I was preoccupied with other activities. I had to take my GRE (Graduate Record Examination) test the day before Thanksgiving. That night I went out for a few drinks with some friends from home and spent the night catching up on what everyone is doing and reminiscing. Thursday (Thanksgiving Day) was filled spending time with family. Every year my grandparents come over to our house and we enjoy Thanksgiving dinner together, complete with turkey, filling, and of course pumpkin pie. Friday I had the pleasure (not so much) of working retail at Sears in the fine jewelry department. It actually wasn't that bad - people weren't overly pushy or rude, it wasn't busy to the point where customers were waiting an exorbitant amount of time to be served, and time went by fairly quickly. Saturday evening was spent playing laser tag and doing a scavenger hunt my friends and I made up, consisting of anything from posing in a picture with a police officer to getting three strangers to pose in a picture as a human pyramid. A little unconventional I'll admit, but it definitely broke up some of the monotony of our usual gatherings.
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Blog 17: GREs
The day before Thanksgiving was a day I'd been dreading for three months: the day of my GRE test for graduate school. I had to drive down to Lancaster and endure the four-hour test. I was almost late because I missed a turn and didn't realize it right away, so that definitely added to the stress of things. Because the test is now computer-based, I was able to review my score immediately after I finished the test (minus the writing section which is subsequently evaluated). Admittedly, I didn't do quite as well as I had hoped to, but I have faith that my GRE scores won't carry the most weight to the admissions counselors at the schools I've applied to. I'm also still hopeful that I'll score considerably well on the writing section. I felt it was something I could perform well in within the allotted time frame compared to the other quantitative and verbal sections. Nevertheless, I'm glad the whole situation is over and done with. After I receive my last set of recommendations this week, I plan on mailing my supporting application materials and playing the waiting game.
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Blog 18: Sears
For about three weeks now, I've been working part-time at Sears in the Fine Jewelry department for the holiday season. I've had some previous experience in retail, and HATED it with a passion, but so far Sears actually hasn't been too bad. For starters, the department manager is a quasi-relative of mine (my great aunt's sister-in-law, if anyone can tell me what relation that makes her to me), so I've got somewhat of an edge when it comes to preferential hours. Additionally, I earn commission wages for all sales within my department, ranging from 3.75% regularly to 6% on diamond sales. I don't know if I'll still feel the same way about the job after the Christmas season takes its toll on me, but right now it's bearable. I had to work Black Friday, but it wasn't as bad as might be imagined. I'd say the worst part of the day came when I happened to sell a diamond engagement right and matching his and hers wedding bands totaling over $1200. Why, you might ask? Because I was still considered "in training" on Black Friday and wasn't on commission sales yet, so I missed out on about a $75 bonus in my check! It was kind of a bummer, but not a big deal. I'll have plenty of time to make up for it in the coming weeks.
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Blog 19: Winter Break
The past 5 or 6 weeks of my life have been spent slaving away for the man! I've been working two jobs: about 40 hours per week at the child care and about 20 hours a week at Sears in the Fine Jewelry department. My routine of waking up at 5:00, showering, driving half an hour to work, working a full day, then possibly working another 4-5 hours at my second job and then coming home and crashing into bed has really been exhausting. Not to mention it's taken a toll on my social life! For once I've got money to blow at the bars and I'm too busy and/or tired to take advantage! I'm sure I can make up for lost time when my work schedule slows down! In the mean time I pacify myself with taking advantage of the Sears sales AND my 20% employee discount…my jewelry collection has grown remarkably over the past few weeks!
Christmas was nice. At home, it's my parents, my thirteen-year-old sister and me. It was the only day in two weeks that I had off from work and I was looking forward to sleeping in. I mistakenly and vainly hoped my sister was at the age where she too would want to sleep in on Christmas morning. I had hoped she had realized the same amount of presents would still be sitting under the tree at 11 in the morning as there would be at the crack of dawn. But low and behold, there I was at 7:00 a.m. being harassed by my sister in her obnoxious, thirteen-year-old-attitude-filled tone to get out of bed because I was delaying her present opening. Despite my inability to sleep in, Christmas shaped up to be a very nice gathering between my immediate family and grandparents.
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Blog 20: The beginning of the end of my undergrad career
Well, this is it. I and fellow classmates of the class of 2007 have just commenced the last semester of our undergraduate careers. Some, hopefully I, will move on to enjoy other semesters of graduate study and beyond, but for some of us this is it. It really makes me reflect on my years spent here and how they have gone by so quickly. I remember thinking high school went by fast, but college doubled that pace. Everyone was right; it truly has been the best and quickest four years of my life. I approach the thought of graduation with a somewhat bittersweet sentiment. Although I am certain that I am ready to move on from Albright and continue into the next phase of my life, I can't help but to reminisce about the many experiences I've enjoyed while at Albright, and as corny as this sounds, the many people who have truly left "footprints" on my heart.
This semester's classes include: International Organizations, Latin American Politics, Radical US Political Movements, and Sociology Senior Seminar. Technically, I really only need the seminar to graduate; however, as I'm still anticipating acceptance into graduate school I felt it would appear pleasing to graduate admissions counselors if I load up on political science courses in my last semester as a way of displaying diligence and a strong work ethic. Speaking of grad school, I should be hearing back any time now, so keep your fingers crossed!
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Blog 21: My first acceptance letter!
Great news! I just found out I've been accepted to American University's School of Public Affairs for graduate school - ranked 10th in the nation!! I can't even express how happy and shocked I am! When I applied there I NEVER thought in a million years I'd actually get in; it was a really big reach school for me. Almost a week later I'm still in disbelief about it. Part of me is still waiting for a phone call from the school saying, "Oops, we made a mistake, you really didn't get in." Haha, but I sure hope not! I'm still waiting to hear back from the other schools I've applied to: George Washington, Temple, Villanova, and Marquette. This was a really big confidence booster for me seeing as my first letter back from Penn State was a rejection. The letter said that out of a pool of applicants from 23 states and 19 countries they chose a whopping 10 students to admit to their program. Had I known beforehand that the program was so small, I wouldn't have wasted my $50 (well, my mom's) on the application fee. I guess I'm just happy to know that I'll at least be going somewhere for graduate school. It's a huge weight off my shoulders. I plan on heading down to the campus in a few weeks to check it out and learn more about the program, the school and the D.C. area. It should be a fun trip; I can't wait!
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Blog 22: RSA Formal
March 2 was the RSA Formal - the last one for the class of 2007. It was a good time as always. My roommates, friends, and I started out at our house and then proceeded to steal someone else's cab because we didn't feel like waiting around for the bus to pick us up and take us to the Inn at Reading. The cabbie was "interesting" to say the least, although most of them usually are! At least we arrived safely and in one piece - no small miracle considering the guy was calling himself Brad Pitt. I could maybe see it if he was about 20 years younger and, oh say, 150 lbs. less, haha. The formal itself was a good time. It's fun to dress up and it's always nice to see the guys in something other than sweats and a hoodie. Most of them really clean up well! What more can you ask for than your friends, good music, good food and good drinks all in one place?
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Blog 23: So much to do and so little time!
Things just keep getting more and more hectic as my senior year begins to draw to a close. It seems like Easter break flew by - and didn't seem like much of a "break" at all with all the working I was doing. There's so much going on in the coming weeks. I'll be making possible road trips to Philly and DC for graduate school purposes. April 19th I'm going to see Stephen Stills at the Sovereign Center. That same day New Found Glory is coming to campus. There's also Greek Week/Spring Fever (whatever they're calling it these days), the March of Dimes Walk I'm participating in for work (you can sponsor me here: http://www.walkamerica.org/meganjbeidler), my 22nd birthday, and of course, the much anticipated senior week! I have no idea as to how I'm going to do all this stuff AND write 4 term papers in the next 6 weeks before graduation! But if all the alumni that came before me could do it, I'm sure I'll manage. Speaking of Alumni, I recently attended an Alumni event in New York the other weekend. It was a lot of fun checking out some bars in the area and seeing some old friends that have relocated there. I would recommend it to all the alumni - Albright even paid for the first few drinks! For information on future alumni events, check out: http://www.albright.edu/alumni/newsandevents.html.
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Blog 24: Decisions, Decisions…
Well, the results are in. I was accepted to half of the graduate programs I applied to: American, Villanova, and Temple. At this point it's a battle between American and Villanova, and I'm leaning heavy towards American. The program is ranked higher, the school is located in DC which is the place to be when you're studying politics, and I think I may have just found *free* housing! I was searching the school's website and Craig's List for a housing swap - basically a family offers me a bedroom or apartment to live in and in lieu of rent, I perform some service for them, in this case 20 hours of child care per week. The details are still being hashed out, and I have yet to visit the homes or meet the families, but I've received word back from four families within 24 hours of sending emails asking me for more information! I also plan on visiting Villanova sometime this week to get a feel for the campus and the program. Who knows, I may decide that's the place for me next year.
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Blog 25: Farewell, Class of '07
Graduation has come and gone and still it has not sunken in to me that I will not be returning to the same friends and lifestyle I have known for the past four years. It will be weird not returning to a house, not living with roommates, and not seeing the same people I have grown used to. I'll never have to train for another field hockey season, attend another formal, or be a part of another keg crawl. Nevertheless, my time here has been enjoyable, but it is time to move on to the next phase. I'm surprisingly not sad that I am no longer a student at Albright; I knew this day would eventually come from the beginning. I guess I'm just excited about the new changes in my life that will be taking place in the next few months. However, I'm not looking forward to moving alllllll my stuff, yet again, back home...yuck!
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