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Kaitlin Searfoss
Class Year: Sophomore
Major: English
Hometown: Norwood, MA
High School: Norwood High School
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So, that's it! I am officially halfway through college! I had my last final today, and overall I think they all went well, and I'm excited to be done. The end of the year is always such a great time because I can sit back and realize that I actually have nothing to do. My roommates and I are all leaving tomorrow and we're busy cleaning and packing. I'm sad to see another year fly by, but it was so much fun, and I can't wait to take a break from all the work! I hope that it has been happy reading for all of you, because I know it has been fun for me. Hopefully I will be back next year to fill you all in on more real life at Providence College! Junior year should definitely prove to be fantastic.
Happy summer to all!
So I am halfway through the last week of classes and I thought I would update you all on some of my lasts! Monday: my LAST civ paper description. Tuesday: my LAST chem test (other than the final, of course). Wednesday: my LAST philosophy test (at all, if my test average is above a 90 -- then no final!) Thursday: my very very very LAST civ seminar! Friday: my very very very LAST civ lecture! I cannot believe I am almost done with civ! It has been such a huge part of my college experience, I don't know what school will be like without it. Though being in the honors course stressed me out at times, I will say that I think I got so much more out of it than I ever thought I would (and perhaps even more than many of my peers). I know that though I'm glad to be done, I will miss it at times.
That being said, I have a bunch of new stuff coming up for next year. I finally have my schedule worked out and here is what I'm taking: 17th century literature, American literature 1865-1914, elementary French II, linguistics, and intermediate writing. It is definitely going to be an adjustment from four to five classes, but I think my honors civ class has helped me prepare. I will probably have a lot of papers rather than tests this semester, but I'm always a fan of writing a good paper.
I am also really excited about getting out of dorm life and living in an on-campus apartment next year! Davis should be really nice, and it is still pretty close to everything on upper campus, as it is right across the street. I also can't wait to move into my room early for tutoring. Tutor cabinet members are moving in a week early to plan and set up orientation for new and veteran tutors, and I couldn't be more excited!
So now that I have mentioned a few of my lasts and upcoming firsts, I think it is appropriate to say that seniors in high school are going through the same thing, but on a much larger scale. Appreciate these last moments at home with those you've known for most of your lives. You all will be taking big steps in your lives to new and exciting (and sometimes scary) things. Perhaps PC is your latest first. Best of luck to those making those decisions this week and congratulations to those that have already made them. Questions are always welcome here, so don't hesitate to ask them!
This weekend has been a blast for a number of reasons, the most obvious one being the weather. Friday night was also the Clam Jam, which is basically a big dinner outside. This year, there were not clams, which was strange, but BOP decided to switch it up with some Caribbean food. There were a bunch of tables with things to do -- guess the number of coins, win a fish bowl, decorate a pirate hat, take pictures with pirates, a jumbo blow-up slide, and a steel drum band. I also enjoyed some Del's lemonade, which was delicious.
Today was another gorgeous day with a TON going on. I had no idea there would be so many things happened today. There was women's rugby, men's rugby vs alumni, a lacrosse game, a basketball something or other, and then Stuartstock/WDOM's (our radio station) 60th birthday. I spent my afternoon down on lower quad, tie-dying a WDOM t-shirt, listening to live PC bands, and enjoying some food. I got a strange burn -- a burn on one leg and absolutely nothing on the right. It's kind of strange, but I guess it was worth the sunshine!
Tomorrow is supposed to be another gorgeous day and I can't wait to spend it outside (hopefully with some sunblock this time)!
Well kids, there are two weeks left of classes and then finals, and then I am officially half way done with college! It is so nuts to think about.
In other news, I made the tutor cabinet, which I am really excited about. We're doing a lot of planning for next year's orientation and the like, and I'm excited to see it all come together. I also participated in interviewing writing tutors for next year. Our tutor appreciation dinner is next Thursday, as well. I'm sad to say goodbye to the seniors, but it just makes me excited to start up again next semester with new faces and perhaps even a few changes.
Tomorrow is also the JRW Ring Premiere. JRW - Junior Ring Weekend. Next year in November, there is a weekend dedicated to juniors receiving their class rings, and tomorrow is an event where the rings are revealed. There will be games and prizes and all sorts of things -- I'm excited to see what the JRW core came up with. Perhaps I will win a discount on a ring, and wouldn't that be nice!
All in all, I have a fun and busy next few weeks. But hey, summer is almost here!
So, it looks like everyone has been receiving their PC acceptance letters! It's been nearly two years since I received mine and I thought it might be time for some reflection.
If I am going to be completely honest with my readers, I am going to tell you that PC was my absolute last choice -- but not because I thought it was a bad school. My sister went here and I didn't want to do something she had already done. Tons of people from my high school were applying (and ended up going). I was also looking at higher level schools and wondered if I would be challenged enough at PC. That being said, I ended up coming to PC because of a scholarship in the Honors Program. Though most students would prefer not to limit their choices or accept a school based on money, I think that if it was once worth applying to, it is worth going to. Once I realized I was coming to PC, I decided not to focus on the fact that it was not my top choice, but that there were a lot of things here that would benefit me. First of all, I didn't see any other schools with a writing minor. Writing is really important to me, and I'd like to pursue it for a career, whether it be actually writing novels or working in the publishing field. Also, having a few people you know at school really has it perks. My sister cooked me dinner and I used friends from home to meet people that I probably wouldn't have met otherwise. I admit readily that I did NOT want to experience civ or an honors program in college. However, civ has proved to be a very interesting course and one that I actually really enjoy. And the honors program is nowhere near as intimidating as it seems on paper. It also isn't one of those honors programs where honors kids live in the same building or floor, and we are incorporated in regular classes. I'm still figuring out that some people I know are in the honors program, and it is obvious that we aren't an elitist group that sometimes seems to form on other campuses.
Even beyond all my original concerns, I found a lot wasn't actually that bad. In fact, the city itself has proved to be a great asset! Public transportation is free with a PC ID (unlike in Boston, which is my neck of the woods, where everyone pays for the T) and so much is so close by: the mall, supermarkets, Thayer Street, and Federal Hill, for example.
I also couldn't help but love the campus, so matter how hard I tried not to. It was beautiful and vibrant and the tour guides were so enthusiastic. It was infectious. I actually could picture myself here...much to my annoyance. And now here I am enjoying it on a sunny day and a snowy one -- it's gorgeous all throughout the year.
Now I hope no one takes anything bad from this post. I just want to give an honest account and not pretend that I was gung-ho about PC from the start. And that's okay. No one has to love every school. This is meant to be a calming post -- for those of you that come here on scholarship, for those that didn't get into other schools that they wanted to, for those of you that are just so unsure of where to pick. This is a great place to be: I absolutely did not want to be here and now I can't imagine myself anywhere else. No matter where you are, if you are willing to allow yourself the full experience, you can truly love it like I do. There will be gripes and you'll be peeved when you don't like anything being served in the dining hall, you'll curse Cyberfriar when you can't get into classes you want, and you'll even hate a class or two. This can and will happen everywhere. Things like this don't change the fact that college is an amazing experience if you make it what you want it to be. Soon enough, I couldn't wait to attend. I'm happier than I thought I would be; so much so, that I hope that everyone that got accepted here truly considers it for what it is -- a good school with an awesome location and an amazing array of students that will most definitely become friends and eventually family.
I love it, and I believe that you will too.
This weekend was finally the Relay For Life. There were a record number of people and a record number of money raised! I was so happy I got to attend again. There were performances by dance groups, the band Soul Explosion, and a Miss Relay pageant (guys dressed up as girls and it was a riot!). I did a lot of dancing around the track to keep my energy up and it was a lot of fun. I wish I had pictures, but I left my camera in my room.
Coming up this Saturday is finally NEPTA! I've had a lot of fun getting this presentation together and I can't wait to finally do it for a group of people. Unfortunately, I've come down with a fever and swollen glands and I'm currently updating from home, so I hope my voice and health are better by then. It is going to be exciting, though, to see all the hard work we put in come together!
That's all for now, I'm off to get some work done.
So my fabulously busy spring break has come to an end. I'd like to say I'm glad to be back, but I have two midterms this week and a paper due Friday. A great way to come back, don't you think?
But of course, it is so great to see everyone again, especially my roommates. I'm excited for the coming weeks, as well. Relay For Life is on March 27th and I'm so excited to be doing it again. Definitely more updates on that to come.
Well, I'm off to finish studying (hopefully)!
It has been a great and very busy few weeks!
First of all, Joel McHale came a few weeks ago for a hysterical stand-up performance. His opening act was a PC grad, so that was really cool, too. It was a really fun and different thing to do on a Friday night, so I really enjoyed myself. Here is a picture of him on stage in the Mullaney Gym:
The next exciting event took place the very next Friday. We have open ice at the arena every so often (I honestly have no idea how often...I think every two weeks?) and that night was my first time attending. Now, I haven't been ice skating since I was very little, perhaps 7 years old. Let's just say it was an interesting night! I only fell once, and my friend John held my hand the whole time and taught my how to skate again. I think it was the most fun I have had in a really, really long time. There is nothing like learning something new, having a blast, being silly, and not caring who sees you fall.
Here is a picture of John, me, and my roommate Jenessa:
On Sunday, my friend Rich had his second MS fundraiser here at PC. This year, it was a basketball tournament in Peterson, with raffles for sale as well. It was a great turnout, with 25 teams and a few fans. It was great to see that all our friends signed up, but i was even better to see others that didn't know Rich join in for the cause. The entire girls field hockey team even signed up! It was a great time, and I ended up winning two raffles prizes! What luck! Here are a few pictures of the event:
And here is the man of the hour!
For the final exciting event, yesterday was a snow day! It was great -- a got a ton of work done, so now I have this week to get spring break work done because I'm so busy during it! First, I have my cousin's wedding, then I have work for a few days, then it's my 20th birthday on the 12th, and finally, my sister's baby shower on the 15th! So the snow day was a welcome one. I also went to Fire and Ice in the mall for my friend Laura's birthday with a few girls from upstairs. It was a lot of fun, and the whole day was very relaxing.
In the coming weeks, I'm still organizing a presentation for NEPTA, I will be fundraising for Relay for Life, and I'll be doing school work. Updates soon, and please leave questions and comments!
Happy Valentine's Day everyone!
This weekend is upperclassmen parents' weekend here at PC. It is nice to see everyone with their parents. Mine came down last night to take me out to dinner. It was fun to see them and have a non-campus meal! We don't usually partake in a lot of planned activities just because I see them a decent amount, going to school so close to home.
And today is Valentine's Day! I also believe the early action students are here today. I hope I see some friends from home that I haven't seen in a while! That is always a nice surprise.
Other than that, I have been getting back into the swing of things and my first papers and tests are coming up this and next week. I'm happy its a long weekend so I can get some extra work done; then I can focus on writing and studying. That's all for now; check back soon!
Last night was Sophomore Ball and I had a blast!
The dance was held in Peterson Recreational Center in the Concannon Fitness Center. It was complete with a DJ, a stage, and food. It was also fun to get dressed up and have a good time with friends and classmates. Here are a couple pictures from the night!
This is me and one of my roommates before the dance
This is at the dance with a shot of the stage
Overall the night was great and it makes me that much more excited for next year's JRW (Junior Ring Weekend) that dedicated an entire weekend to the juniors and their new class rings!
This has been and is going to be an exciting week, as well as the weeks to come.
Last night I attended my first basketball game of the season. Took me long enough, didn't it? Last semester proved too busy, so this semester I'm glad to have finally had a chance to make it. The Dunkin' Donuts center has recently been redone and it looks so nice inside with new black seats (quite comfy) and redone concessions. The game versus Villanova (ranked 16th) was exciting as the atmosphere was intense. We were doing poorly by the end of the first half but really picked it up in the second. We ended up JUST losing by 3 points at the end of the game. There was also an introduction of new chants and distractions which were a lot of fun to participate in. I would describe them, but you just have to be there to understand them. Oh, and does anyone watch America's Got Talent? The Zooperstars took the stage for the half-time show and put on a hilarious dance routine complete with silly string. During another break, the assistant coach from Villanova was gobbled up! For those of you that don't know, the Zooperstars are basically people in huge blow-up animal outfits. You should Google and/or Youtube them, because that is something else I can't describe!
Another exciting event coming up is the Sophomore Ball which will take place in the Peterson Recreational Center. It is a fun event for our class to get together on campus and dance the night away. I'm also excited for an opportunity to get dressed up! Pictures are sure to follow.
Homecoming weekend is also coming up in the third week of February. The exciting event that I will be attending is a comedy show. Anyone watch The Soup on E! Network? Joel McHale will be coming to Providence to do a stand-up show on the 21st and I couldn't be more excited! These kinds of opportunities just don't seem to come around that much for a girl from a small town in Massachusetts!
That's all for now, but I'll be sure to blog again very soon with pictures and more news.
There seem to be a lot of new things going on at PC this semester, which I'm really excited about. As all my regular readers know, the tutoring center just got a major upgrade -- we moved upstairs into fancy new rooms. This semester, we're making the full break between writing and tutoring centers (the rooms, not the service). The writing center will be next to the tutoring center with its own resources and the like. I'm really exciting to start using the new space regularly.
In other campus news, the Slavin Center is getting a makeover. Currently under construction is a new common space for students to get together and hang out 24/7. At least I think its 24/7. But still, it is a place for all students to hang out without the worries of parietals. For those of you that don't know what our parietal system is, let me explain here. During the week, members of the opposite sex must be out of dorm rooms by midnight, and on the weekends, 2am. I.e., if you are a girl and you have a guy friend over, he must leave your room by midnight if it is Sunday through Thursday and 2am if it is Friday or Saturday. Parietals do not apply in the common rooms of suites and apartments or in common spaces like the Aquinas study lounge and this new space being built.
New things for me this semester involve my honors civ class. This semester, we will be watching movies! I think it will be kind of cool, even though we will be watching them right after our 2 hour seminars! The movies are always available through Netflix and things like that if we are unable to attend, but hey, free pizza provided at the showing sounds good to me! We will be watching four movies this semester, so it won't be too much of my time, but it is also a fun assignment. And they aren't like made for school movies, but I guess what you would call real movies haha so they should be good.
So that is what is new and exciting for PC and me. Check back soon and leave any questions or comments you might have!
PS: here are those tutoring center pictures I meant to put up ages ago! This is around Christmas, hence the Christmas tree. The writing center is very similar, just across the way.
Hello readers! Happy 2009!
It has been forever. My computer crashed a couple of times and blogging has been near the bottom of my to-do list, unfortunately. But alas, I am back and ready to roll.
My break was...nice. I worked a ton so there wasn't much relaxing in the beginning, and then i had a civ book to read. Yes, homework over break. But, not really. It's not due until Thursday so I guess I could have waited until now. But naturally I went ahead and did it to take the pressure off the first week of classes.
Speaking of classes, I'm excited for what this semester will bring. I'm taking my LAST semester of Honors DWC, American lit to 1865, contemporary chemistry, and intro to philosophy. It should be a nice interesting mix to keep me on my toes. So far, they have all been interesting and not too intimidating!
Other than that, all is well. I'm looking forward to comments and questions, so please leave any concerns you have here!
I really need to get on taking pictures of the new tutoring center.
Other than that, it has been an interesting few days. Finals are near and we are in our last week of classes. I had my first computer issue this week (it crashed and burned) but thankfully CompUtopia is on campus to fix it under warranty. I strongly recommend buying a computer through the school so their services are easily accessible and free for most things.
In terms of papers and projects, I am in the final swing of things. I finished my women's studies paper (all that is left to do is present, which I need to make a visual aid for), my English final (which I still need to email), and then all I have left is a civ paper. My only real final this semester is German on Saturday the 13th and then I'm heading home for another Christmas break, spent working at Old Navy and not doing homework.
Best of luck to everyone in surviving the last few weeks before winter break!
So it's been busy, as usual! Updates: We registered for housing for next year (I know, first semester isn't even over yet) and I will be living in a four-person apartment next year in Davis Hall. I will be living with my current roommates and a girl from my hometown. Because one of them is studying abroad in the Spring, we also have another roommate that is going abroad in the Fall. I can't wait! Apartments are awesome because they have kitchens -- less Ray food for me! There are 2 double bedrooms, a common sink area, a shower closet and a toilet closet, along with a small kitchen and common room. The kitchen comes equipped with a fridge, a stove/oven, a sink, and a dishwasher. I can't wait!
We also registered for classes next semester. I'll be taking my LAST semester of honors civ (wow, that's weird), American literature to 1865, introduction to philosophy, and contemporary chemistry. It should be an interesting semester, for sure!
And today is also the day we go home for Thanksgiving! We'll be back on Sunday, so until then, have a good week and a safe and happy holiday!
So it's that time of year again -- no not Thanksgiving or festive fall leaves. It's time for my friend Rich's MS fundraiser, which he started here to help raise money for the MS foundation. The great thing about PC is that everyone here is willing to help. Campus Ministry has done a great deal to help him set it up. This year, he's doing a fundraiser at UNO restaurant in the Providence Place Mall. All you have to do is bring a coupon to the restaurant tonight, and 20% of the bill goes to his cause. He is also in the process of setting up a basketball tournament I think next semester. It should be really exciting and I wish nothing but the best!
And it's also time that time of year for class registration and upperclassmen housing! On Monday, I will be registering for classes, and let me say the difference between sophomore and freshmen registration is huge. I know I'm going to get into at least a couple of my classes because there are so many spots still open. Much less stressful than last year, but still...there is no guarantee. On the 20th, we have housing, and my roommates and I are hoping to get a 4-person apartment in Davis. It's on lower campus, but closest to upper campus, so that's always a perk. I just can't wait to have a kitchen and be able to do my own cooking! Dining hall food tends to get repetitive, whether or not the food is good or bad!
Interesting side note -- after a few months of having class together, I just realized that Hannah, one of the new freshman bloggers, is in my women's studies class! Small world, right?
Sorry for the lack of updates, as usual. Things just get so busy, but also, now that I'm in my second year, I don't really have any more adjusting to do. I've said it before and I'll say it again, PC is really my second home, and life goes by in a happy routine. Can't ask for much more than that!
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