I have to tell you, it was more than difficult to get into the Christmas spirit this year with the weather as warm as it was. I was in Augusta, GA for the holidays and Christmas day was a record 75 degrees. Now don't get me wrong, the warm weather was a nice break from the snow storms of Burlington, but that kind of heat was pushing it. Overall though, I had a nice break and it was great to see the family. I'm in Atlanta right now visiting a friend and am flying back to Burlington tomorrow. We don't start class until January 12th but New Years just wouldn't be the same without all my Vermonters.

I'm also doing some market research for the company I'm interning for, True Tone Studios. They create streaming videos targeted to web development companies. I'm extremely passionate about marketing as well as Web 2.0 and it's so great that I can incorporate that into my job with True Tone. I didn't realize what I really wanted to do until this semester and then this internship opportunity came along and it seems like everything is falling into place for me. I feel so lucky to have a great job opportunity upon graduation in today's economy, especially one in a field I am passionate about. Such a rarity.

I apologize for the brevity of this but I'm off to make some drop biscuits with a friend and then upstairs to pack to head back to VT tomorrow. I hope everyone is having a great holiday and is staying warm (or cool!) wherever you may be. Pictures and videos to follow!

Posted by Katherine Maund at 9:16 PM | Permalink

I've recently been confronted with some intense feelings of nostalgia these past few days as some of my closest friends are preparing to study abroad next semester. Two of my friends are going to Florence, Italy where I spent a semester last spring. I have to say that studying abroad was by far the best decision I have ever made for myself. I'm SUCH an advocate for study abroad...and now, for Italy as well! Mi piace Firenze moltissimo! (That means I like Florence a lot!) I would give an arm and a leg to study abroad again but I only have one semester left in my college career. Enough about me though; let's talk about Italy!

As I mentioned, I studied in Florence for a semester and lived with 4 other girls in a small apartment located right in the center of town overlooking the Duomo. Talk about location! Each morning I would wake up, grab a cappuccino and a cornetti at Corona's on my walk to class, and then head up the never ending stairs to my classes in Piazza de Republica. After class I would get some lunch at a nearby restaurant or would stop by one of the markets to pick up a few things to make at home. Afternoons usually consisted of site-seeing and shopping at all the local markets. Life in Italy is so indulgent and Italians really find the beauty in everything. Don't go there with your New York City walk! People will look at you funny.

Not only is Florence full of beautiful architecture, art (the David!), and history, but the nightlife is pretty spectacular. Most weekends consisted of long dinners with great vino followed by a night on the town mingling with the locals. One night that comes to mind ended with a scooter ride up to Piazzale Michelangelo where the views of Florence are breathtaking. My Albanian friend, Vinnie, and I watched the sunrise before I headed home for a brief nap before class.

I could explain what it was like in sooo many words, but I think pictures speak volumes. If you ever get a chance, go to Italy! Check out my ALBUM!

Posted by Katherine Maund at 11:50 AM | Permalink

It's getting colder in the valley which means there is snow on the mountains! I'm excited to go skiing this year since I haven't taken full advantage of what Vermont has to offer during the winter in past years. I feel guilty that I've only been skiing a few times when the mountains here are so accessible. Champlain offered a free pass with a small processing fee to Sugarbush this year, so even if you use your pass just once, it has totally paid for itself. Totally worth it, right?

On a completely different note, I can't believe this semester is coming to an end so rapidly. Just one more semester and I'll be forced to enter the "real world" of bills, work, and so-called adulthood. Since moving back to Georgia is totally out of the question, I'm faced with a huge decision to make...where the heck do I want to live after graduation? Burlington is great and graduates have a better chance of scoring a job here than most places, but I think I'm ready for something different. The west coast is appealing but the cost of living is pretty absurd. I'm not going south and I can't do anything in the middle because I need to be within driving distance of the ocean. I've toyed with the idea of going abroad since I had such an incredible experience while in Italy, but that open up a whole 'nother can of worms. And so the search begins.

With the anxiety of where to move also comes the anxiety of what to do. I'm average at a lot of things but I don't feel like I'm really good at one thing...except maybe social networking. Can that get me a job? I'm really interested in internet marketing, social media, and web 2.0 and there are a LOT of jobs out there in those areas. I just have to find the one that fits me. Ideally, I'd like an office but would also love to be able to work from home some times and of course be on the go as much as possible. I need a fast-paced work environment with lots of traveling because I ain't lookin to settle down anytime soon. I'll think on these things...

For your viewing pleasure, here's a video that my Contemporary Media Issues class is promoting. We're competing guys vs. girls to see who can access their social networking tools to get the most views. The video is promoting 1% For the Planet, an organization that gives one percent of member companies profits back to the environment..kind of like an earth tax. Enjoy!

Posted by Katherine Maund at 12:59 PM | Permalink

Hello! I suppose this is me welcoming myself to the Champlain blogging community. I'm excited to give you, the prospective student, a look into what student life is like at Champlain. If you'd like to know more about me and my involvement on campus and in the community, check out my profile, my other blog, my music myspace, or my profile on Linked-In to get connected. Of course, you can always find me on Facebook. I have to admit that I have a growing obsession with social media that will become evident throughout this blogging experience.

More posts to come, pictures, and updates on what's going on around the Burlington area. Hope everyone had a filling Thanksgiving and is getting excited for Christmas! (I'm embarrassed to admit that the Hanson Christmas cd is already playing in my apartment...don't judge.)

Posted by Katherine Maund at 5:09 PM | Permalink