#BMCblackout

Bryn Mawr was attacked by the most vicious and terrible of all monsters this week… ICE.

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No, not that type of ice.

 When Punxsuntawney Phil blessed the wonderful east coast with six more weeks of winter I was just as pleased as the the next person. I mean what other Southern California native wouldn’t pleased to continue the marathon of temperatures below 20 degrees? ( I really hope you can detect my sarcasm).

During the welcoming of more winter Mother Nature attacked Bryn Mawr with snow and ice storms toppling over trees, knocking out power lines, and best of all canceling class for about a week. (YIKES.) In lieu of the snow storm, and the ice storm that followed, my friends and I decided to label our hardship #BMCblackout. Through our “witty” banter we depicted the epitome first world problems and tech-addicted college kids going through Wi-Fi cleanse. If you want to see some of the destruction and dangers check out my fabulous photos below.

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But beyond all the humor I really do want to give a big thanks to all of people with Facilities, Dining Services, and Public Safety for doing their best to try and keep the campus up and running and above all safe for the students.

Stay warm!

To be continued…

 

I am an English Major

When you come to college it is an open playground. I was told to explore my surroundings and expand my comfort zone in the academic world. However, when hearing this as a freshman I couldn’t help but laugh. I knew for a fact I was going to be a Psychology major. I was going to be the best in my field with a Ph.D and making so much money I would have no idea what to do with it. After shopping my first Psychology class I was thoroughly mistaken. In the end, if you read the title of this blog, I became an English Major.

As an English major, more often than I would like to, I hear the same thing; “Oh…that’s nice,” followed by “So, what are you going to do with that?” Usually I retort back with “Professional hobo.” Which is then followed by the obligatory cocktail dinner party giggle (something President Obama has taken part in with other Humanity Majors).

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Over the summer I came across an article that I only understood until now. It was so greatly titled The Decline and Fall of the English Major.  I recommend that before reading the rest of this post you read the actual article, but if that is too much to ask I’ll give you the gist of it. Basically the author, Verlyn Klinkenborg, explores the reason why there has been a major decline in English majors in college. More students are now majoring in political science, economics, and mathematics. It is based in the idea that there really is no use for the study of literature anymore. It seems as though English majors have the same problem as athletics do on this campus. It won’t necessarily pay off your student debt and the advertisement is lacking.

However, as the author perfectly put, “What is an English major good for? In a way, the best answer has always been, wait and see…Former English majors turn up almost anywhere, in almost any career, and they nearly always bring with them a rich sense of the possibilities of language, literary and otherwise.”

It is an answer that most English majors come to terms with. In a sense I have come to acceptance and actual exercise of this answer both in my classes at Bryn Mawr and in the “real world.” There has never been a career that is specifically designated for an English major which is both a blessing and a curse. No, there will never be job security as a writer. Sadly, I can’t perform open heart surgery with the brilliant words of Walt Whitman. Despite my best efforts I will never be able to understand the inner workings of my own Mac computer, let alone build one from the ground up. But after exploring political expression in short fiction to understanding the just how rebellious authors can be in texts like The Portrait of Dorian Grey and The House of Seven Gables, the words take on more than a narrative. The literature fills your head with countless lifetimes and professions. And on the more comical side, I will never forget one of my professors telling me something along the lines of, “There isn’t a better feeling than insulting someone with literature. You just ooze with wit.”

The point of an English degree isn’t just to read novels and poetry. It is meant to explore the world through language. Articulation is probably the best piece of education any college can give you. So when I graduate in four months with my degree of wit and skill of literary expression, I can proudly say I was an English major.

“No one has found a way to put a dollar sign on this kind of literacy, and I doubt anyone ever will. But everyone who possesses it — no matter how or when it was acquired — knows that it is a rare and precious inheritance.”- Verlyn Klinkenborg

To be continued…

 

Plenary, Firsts, and Computer Malfunctions

Hello There!

First things first, here are the videos I had promised earlier along:

Bryn Mawr College Firsts

Why Do You Like Plenary

I hope you enjoy them as much as I did making them!

Next is an explanation with why they have taken so long. The Sunday before Fall Break my computer decided it needed a little break from working so hard. In the middle of finishing the videos, blog posts, and midterm papers my darling computer froze, shut off, then proceeded to show me a white screen with a gray Apple logo. **Insert dramatic theme music**.  Normally I would have evaded the unsettling emotion of panic about my now possibly lost work. However, I was in the midst of ordering a new external hard drive when this glorious event happened, so I was now overwhelmed with the unsettling feeling that my midterms and other work were no longer in existence. Thankfully, with the help of some wonderful tech people, my computer and its work were restored! If you follow me on Twitter you would have seen my excitement.

This brings me to my next point- the steps needed to save your technological life so you don’t end up like me (freaking out that your life is over).

1. If you do not own an external hard drive already upload important documents onto an internet hard drive like a Google drive.

Signing up for an account is free and you can save and share as many documents as you want!

2. Purchase an external hard drive (or multiple).

I currently own two, but I am also into the works of ordering a third. These things have saved my life in more ways than I can count. I personally love the G-Technology drives.

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You can find and purchase reasonably priced ones on Amazon, but really any external hard drive will work.

3.  Start transferring your documents… and consistently doing so from here on out. 

This could take anywhere from 5 minutes to 5 hours depending on how much work you want to transfer. My first hard drive download took about 2 days to download and organize my files. I cannot say this enough, REALLY take time to sit down and organize your files this will help you in the long run. Especially because you should be backing up your computer every few weeks or at least every other month.

So, that is the end of my spiel. I hope you are having a wonderful Friday!

To be continued…

Pictures from The Women in Public Service Institute

I just realized I had written about the Women in Public Service Project and had carelessly forgotten to post pictures. The horror on my face when I realized this atrocity was surely one for the record books. However, despite my mistake here are some of the photos from such an amazing event on Bryn Mawr’s Campus. 

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Interim President Kim Cassidy

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None other than the one…the only… Former Secretary Hilary Rodham Clinton!!

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Former Secretary Hillary Clinton and the many WPSP Delegates


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The reception in The Cloisters

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Karina Siu ’14 and Vrinda Varia ’13

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Karina Siu ’14 with WPSP Delegate AnaLu Alveno

 

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Zoe Fisher ’15 and Alexis De La Rosa ’16

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Me, Coach Erin DeMarco, and Karina Siu enjoying the reception



Bikram and Hillary

It’s been 11 days since Hillary Rodham Clinton gave her address to the Women in Public Serve Project Institute. After waiting in the stand-by line for two hours I was able to snag a seat and listen to her speech about women empowerment. It has been 10 days since I’ve started practicing Bikram Yoga. After today’s class I have realized what these two have in common.

For the past 10 days I wake up at 6:30am to drive to my 7am yoga class. I sign in, drop my bag off at the locker room, and brace myself for the hot and humid studio. Every day I sit in the back corner of the class and try not to embarrass or injure myself with any of the poses. Mid-class I stared at the clock during each pose trying to grip my slipping hands together. Practicing alongside calm and collected yogi pros while you flail around is enough to make you feel inadequate. Falling out of half the poses I began to think about things outside of class, basically a giant anti-meditation session, triggering a quarter-life crisis.

During the savasana pose, lying flat on your back facing the back wall, I saw for the first time that there were 6 words painted on the back wall. Looking up at the wall, the words Faith and Determination we staring back at me. In the midst of my quarter life crisis I cracked a smile. Faith and Determination. Two of the most cliché words for a person to hear, but at a moment like this one two very necessary ones.

They reminded me of Hillary Clinton’s Address in Thomas Great Hall. She said two things that really resonated with me. By participating in the institute she stated that ,”we lay down a marker that in a world of injustice we can do better.” Throughout her talk she discussed the ideas of passion and perseverance in becoming a true leader and what the word actually means. In order to obtain these goals that she has envisioned for the various women in leaders in the room that day it is necessary to keep faith  and determination in these projects despite the endless stream of uphill battles.”We need leaders who say no to business as usual.”

After thinking about her inspiring words and the words that kept giving me the eye on the back wall, I realized that 1. There are way bigger problems in the world than a bad 90 minute yoga session, and 2. If I just keep a lot of faith and determination I can do anything, including finish this session on a good note.

Bikram Yoga and Hillary Clinton gave me a great lesson that I just now have come to understand. In order to obtain goals, however small or large, you need to focus on becoming a better you rather than the experience or tradition of others. Once you have achieved that, the world is yours.

To be continued…

TL;DR: Faith and Determination are two things that Hillary Clinton and Bikram Yoga have in common. They can help you get through a yoga session or achieve World Domination!

The Adventures of….Wait a minute

Exams have been taken, books have been returned, and the last words have been written…at least for now. In other words- SUMMER HAS BEGUN!

My first post of the summer was going to be the first installment of “The Apartment Adventures of Karina and Lindsey”, but that came to a screeching halt when the inevitable happened. I studied too hard. But before I get carried away let me preface this story.

Coming up in about two weeks is my 6 month anniversary post-op from ACL reconstruction surgery. This a very big deal in that 1) Holy Crap its been 6 months and 2) it means I am out of woods for any severe or extreme danger of re-tearing/re-injuring my ACL. However, during finals week I had slipped while writing on a chalk board causing a large POP sound to radiate from my knee. Not something you really want to hear. Long story short it swelled up really bad and a quick 911 visit to Terry to eleviate some stress from my melt-down ended up in a call to my post-op surgeon in Havertown. After waiting a  week I saw the doctor only to have him tell me that I have re-torn at least 1/3 of my ACL! After a teary phone call to my mother (its amazing how a call to your mom can make you feel better) I was on the next flight to California to see my original surgeon. I knew if my senior season was going to be over I wanted to hear it from him. So, I gave Karina the keys to my car as she dropped me off at the airport, waved goodbye, and I was on my way to…Las Vegas?

Since we had to find such an immediate flight the cheapest and quickest flight out of Philadelphia was to Las Vegas, Nevada. Luckily this is only a 4 hour drive from my house and one that my older sister Tiffany frequently drives throughout the summer. But I was in no mood for Sin City or a fruity cocktail in a smokey casino. Unluckily for me my older sisters were and being the youngest I have no say. So after a 5 hour flight I jumped in a cab and headed for the MGM Grand Hotel. Starving we headed to an awesome little mexican food place down on miracle mile. I was even persuaded to gamble a little at the expense of my sisters and won 5 dollars! We left before we got carried away and had a sing along.

I finally saw got home and saw the doctor. I was scheduled for an MRI and then played the waiting game. My mom and stopped off at Bob’s Big Boy for our breakfast (its tradition). While we waited for our french toast I decided to make a promise/plea bargain. I looked up and whispered to the Big Guy/Whispy Ghost Being/Master of the Universe/Genie if my ACL is still in tact and I can play in the fall I promise I will train as close to a Division 1 athlete as I can, write that article to the New York Times like my mom wants me too, and finish my grant applications by July. Now I don’t know if it was fate or just impeccable timing, but after I whispered my plea my mom got a phone call that there was an open MRI appointment. After that appointment my fate was sealed.

I have since returned to Philly with an intact ACL and little bit of tendonitis. Sitting in the campus center as I write this blog post watching the many Alumna celebrate their reunions from their 5th to their 65th I’m glad I made my little whisper. I guess that is the life of a Mawrter. Sure there are scuffles or bumps in the road, but no matter, you always make it back home.

To be continued….

TL;DR: Before the summer even began I had to go home due to a possible re-torn ACL. After some adventures it ended up being okay and I’m back in Philly to wreak some havock with Karina =)

 

I Suffer From Self-Doubt

If there is one thing I have realized since coming to Bryn Mawr its that I have a serious case of reoccurring self-doubt.

It manifested itself when I first applied to college. Everyone has the same questions-  Did I join enough clubs? Did I play the right sports? Will I get in? Am I good enough? Then once we actually receive a letter and send in our deposit we’re stuck with the worst question of all- Did I choose the right school?  Thankfully I’m passed that hurdle and I know for a fact that I did make the right choice. However, that doesn’t stop the terrible feeling from sneaking up in daily life. In the classroom, on the soccer field, even discussing the answer for yesterday’s daily training room crossword puzzle I am bombarded with what if’s, but’s, and maybe not’s.

Tomorrow I will be traveling to Princeton to present my theory on culture translation through K-Pop at their East Asian Popular Culture Conference. I applied to be a speaker in January, found out my paper was accepted in February, researched a ton in March, and reserved April to freak out about this whole ordeal. Don’t get me wrong, I couldn’t be happier about this whole situation. I mean the fact that there is a conference dedicated to my favorite topic and that they want me to speak at it is awesome. But then the what if’s began pouring in. It didn’t help that my practice runs haven’t been going well and last night was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

TOP is excited for the conference too

 TOP has too much swag to be     nervous. 

After a terrible dress rehearsal las I slumped in my rolly chair in a Dalton classroom banging my head against the desk. I gave up, I was down for the count, on the verge of a melt down. “Its terrible I know it. You know it. They’ll know it.” I even started to think about not going. I mean would it really make a difference?

I looked out to my “audience” (a.k.a Karina a.k.a the only person willing to listen to my K-Pop conundrum) for a response. “Its not bad…its not great but its not bad.” For the next 30 minutes she poked and prodded my presentation pushing me to the brink of tears in a back in forth conversation of its terrible’s and work through it’s. Finally out of all of that nonsense the most important thing she said was “this is about convincing that one person in the audience that your theory matters and your topic is relevant. Just remember Lindsey, life is a stage, you have to sell it”, and it clicked.

I was selling the product but I wasn’t buying it. I got caught up in trying to translate my theory into a stuffy presentation that I forgot about what my theory was about in the first place. And if there is one thing I do know its K-Pop. So, after decoding my presentation and returning it to its former glory my confidence was restored!

As cheesy as it is, it is true that you can do anything you want to. But, you have to convince yourself before you can convince others. From summer jobs to a K-Pop conference sometimes you just need to believe in yourself. All it takes is a  bit of encouragement (or a high five from Terry haha) to realize how irrelevant that nagging little voice in your head really is.

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Words of encouragement from my big sister. =)

To be continued…

TL;DR- self-doubt sucks and its inevitable but calm down and just believe in yourself a little bit and you will make it through…dance parties and high fives help too.

Big Cheese Forum

It’s that time of year again…Its BIG CHEESE FORUM!!

Not that kind of big cheese!

What is Big Cheese Forum you may ask? Big Cheese Forum is a meeting that happens once a year where the student body offers an invitation to various department heads to answer our burning questions about issues concerning the campus and the student body. This can be anything from health insurance to dorm renovations to changes in the meal plan.

There were a plethora of topics being discussed tonight, but the two hot topics were the obvious renovations on campus and Perry House.

One question that definitely struck a cord, especially with President McAuliffe, was the language that was used to discuss Perry House. Though I haven’t actually had the chance to experience what Perry House has to offer I have had many friends tell me in great detail what this house means to the campus. In order to regain a positive attitude towards this discussion I personally believe that it is necessary to bring in the opinion of all affinity groups on campus. With added support I think the administration will begin to turn a negative attitude to a positive one.

Another was insurance policy for the school. According to some students while undergoing a common doctor appointment they were given unwanted pregnancy tests. Dr. Kerr was present and able to answer with a shocked response. If anyone has experienced this she asks that you contact her or the health center advisory board.

Then finally the rumors of reopening Rhoads Dining Hall are false. The dining hall will not be open due to the renovations of Haffner Dorm and Dining hall in the upcoming summer.

Jmac’s closing statements to the annual cheese forum were positive comments on sga and kudos the students gathering together to show how important this campus is to us.

…On another note happy peppero day!

To be continued…

Live from TGH: Presidential Elections

9:30 pm:  November 6, 2012 is a date that will go down in history as one of the closest elections yet. I’m surrounded by Mawrters in Thomas Great Hall where, 4 years ago, the Presidential Election was once again the buzz of the nation since it was the election of our nation’s first African American President. Throughout the night I will be updating my blog since this is a night I will remember, but I’m sure what I will remember it for just yet.

9:41 pm: The emotion in the room is a combination of nerves and excitement. The close vote with the swing states is enough to give this mawrter a few ulcers. The mumble of conversations floating through the hall sort of calms me down, but it is also a reminder of the importance of this election. After starting this update I’m afraid to really say anything with the chance of jinxing the polls. I need to find an offering for Athena!!

9:42pm: OBAMA WINS PENNSYLVANIA!!! Way to go Mawrters, a well-deserved Anass for the President.

9:51pm: Technical difficulties …really!?

10:34 pm: I am so proud California!! Now let’s hope the propositions go through too.

10:56 pm: Such a close election. The air in the great hall is at a low mumble.

11:27 pm: BREAKING NEWS: CNN projects Obama wins the re-election!!! The anass rings through the air.

11:32 pm: Despite the PROJECTED win and celebration Ohio’s final votes have yet to be counted. The room once filled with excitement and cheer has now quieted. Everyone is so pensive.

November 7, 2012

12:20 am: Officially kicked out of TGH. Moving to Rhoads, but ultimately … Congratulations President Obama. Now back to the real world. Time for a celebratory cupcake.

To be continued…

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

This is definitely one of my favorite holidays. The costumes, candy, music atmosphere and above all the traditions. Besides drowning myself in pounds of candy I love watching The Nightmare Before Christmas and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Once a year (twice for The Nightmare Before Christmas) I dust off these dvds with the excitement of my 7 year old self. If you have never seen these then you are seriously missing out on some amazing cult classics.

Even if you have seen them and thought “Ehh… not really my cup of tea” I definitely recommend listening to the original poem The Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton. Pure Greatness!!

Happy Halloween

To be continued…