As of March 9, I have no definite spring break plans. And for once, I’m OK with that.
Freshman year, I worked in a small store in Mystic Village full-time, trying to convince tourists to buy things like engraved sharks tooth necklaces, amber bracelets and whaling ship postcards.
Sophomore year, I enjoyed a week’s trip to Orlando, Florida, where friends and I gorged on home-cooked food, screamed on Disney and Universal Studio rides, celebrated a 21st birthday and lounged by the pool.
Last year, I made a trek out West to “test out” an internship opportunity, only to come back to New York City for some much-needed shopping and eating.
All of these breaks made for a nice change of pace from the ever fast-paced spring semester at Conn. Perfect timing before the most hectic month of the year: always jam-packed April, filled with too many events and lectures for even the most ambitious of students to take advantage of it all.
This is the first time I’ve felt truly needed a break, while being equally opposed to taking a break.
It’s spring semester of senior year, and despite the hectic schedules, intense coursework (inarguably my most academically challenging semester: I have no idea how that happened), I’m in omnia paratus and raring to go.
With only 2 months and 13 days remaining until Commencement, I want to take advantage of everything Conn has to offer me: fantastic Professors Hay, Javadizadeh and Weinstein, the best advisor Professor Gallagher, great upcoming debates at SGA (in my opinion, the best in years), a true family in The College Voice staff, new and old friendships to enjoy over lunch or at Cro bar, lectures galore and a gigantic room in the heart of campus with a very lively floor.
As fun and relaxing as a break sounds, it’s two weeks less of enjoying these uniquely Conn experiences.
I have my whole life to enjoy a weekend away in New York, a vacation out West, a time volunteering or working.
I want to stay in the moment. I’ve been doing so by keeping a daily journal of each day of senior spring.
Each day, it has forced me to stop, think and be mindful of events in my day, my feelings (as emo as that sounds) and how (or how not) my day factors into my life at Conn and the life to come after Commencement.
This past Friday I went home for the afternoon. To my dismay, my mom pulled out her graduation cap and gown she wore for her own Conn graduation in the late 70s, eager for me to try it on for size. If that wasn’t a wakeup call to how quickly time is passing by, I don’t know what would be.
Despite my attempts to remain mindful of every day that passes, take advantage of all I can and appreciate precious moments hanging out with friends before we scatter throughout the states, countries and continents, time is slipping away faster than ever.
Spring Break is too long.
Time remaining at Conn is too short.
With such a limited number of College Voice issues remaining before I hand the reins over to the upcoming editor-in-chief and editorial staff, there is still so much I want to see investigated and brought to light.
Perhaps break will be spent ensuring a steady progress on 100 Things to Do Before Graduation, wandering the arbo and preparing for the intense month of April, sure to be filled with all-nighters, bar nights, calendars with no gaps between waking and sleeping (if sleeping is even scheduled) and preparing for life after the caps are flung high in the air on a warm May day.
From my College Voice blog, “Life’s Short, Talk Fast: Daily Diary of Senior Year Spring in < 440 Characters”:
Testing, testing, 123
Had a test today. It was the oddest thing, as I felt I haven’t had a test for at least three years (aside from the LSAT, and we all know, like the SAT, that’s nothing like a traditional college or even highschool exam). Very odd feeling. Happy that the hellish week is halfway over and that the day marked by an exam, rain and frustrating conversations is almost at a close.
I’m a slow-motion accident…lost in coffee stains.
One of those days when the alarm clock doesn’t go off, it’s raining, you spill coffee all over a white shirt (that’s new), you have a test tomorrow with no time to review and every quiet study space you find gets bombarded with loud talking. Sounds like my Tuesday.
Twilight and Dickinson
Spent my afternoon Poetry and Social Networks class considering how much I now enjoy Emily Dickinson, the original emo and LiveJournal writer. Her letters reference a love of “twilight” (underlined, no less!). Perhaps she had a premonition of Bella?
…But still need to be clean
Thought my day was super productive, then I looked at my “still to do” list. Gah, I don’t even want to think about it. Scheduling showers everyday until Spring Break is becoming slightly problematic — that’s when you know there’s a problem.
Monday, Bloody Monday
Always the hardest and longest day of the week, but this one wasn’t too bad. Grabbed coffee, cheese and crackers during the 15 minute break in the English seminar (most necessary, though my crunching dominated the rest of class). Also, finally met up with Phil to work on revising the Voice website. Worked ’til the wee hours of the morning on that and I love it tons. Still more to do though. This job never ends!
Voice
Not shocking. I feel like my Sundays are the least interesting since they always revolve around the office. What should I do to make these more interesting? Next week I’ll get creative and try to include some quotes and/or a menu of our food spread for copyeditors and starving editors who are so committed they (mostly me) find it hard to tear our eyes off inDesign long enough to grab food in Harris.
Lost cause
Enjoyed sleeping in for the first time in… I can’t even remember how long. I really shouldn’t have, but I guess my body really needed it. I switched on snooze at least three times before just turning it off (unheard of!). Felt much more refreshed and healthy. But then binged on Nerds and SweetTarts. It’s a lost cause.
Green Urban Development
Hosted a Common Hour today (despite the snow) on Revitalizing Connecticut Cities. I’ve always been interested in the urban development movement as well as the green movement, and Bruce Becker (a green architect) was the best example I’ve ever seen of how those two can go hand-in-hand and really make positive change. So impressed. I should go change my major now.
Passion and Legislation
Such passionate debates at a crazy Thursday SGA meeting — I definitely enjoyed it. Learned a ton more about RECs (via a speaker who wasn’t technically allowed to speak — what a crazy story right there). Pondered the problem (if there is one) of getting too involved with a piece of legislation.
