Back to School, and an assortment of little blurbs

Fall break has come to an end, and I've been thrown back into the tumble-jumble of my real life. Most of my friends took off for the weekend, but I was just excited to have four open days to whip out some projects due in the coming few weeks!

Of course, today I realized that I wasn't as rested as I thought I was, and I hadn't actually gotten as much done as I was hoping too....but then again, life isn't all about sleeping and studying. I did get to spend a lot of time with my cousin Kelsey (who's a freshman at Belmont and lives just one floor above me!) and I spent almost an entire day just making fun posters, re-hanging my room decorations, and scheming about new programming for my residents (I'm an RA in a freshman dorm).

Truly Blessed

As I was up and deep cleaning my room the other day, I couldn't help but think how blessed I am to go to such a nice university and have this RA job that provides me with free housing and a great view!

Not-S0-Rugged Adventure

As the International Student Liaison for Belmont's International Business Society, I had the privilege of joining the International Student Retreat during the first weekend in September. It was such a great opportunity to get off campus, out in nature (i.e. a 30-minute hike), and involved with our visiting students. Here I am all geared up for the overnight escapade:

Thanksgiving at Belmont

With my family on the West Coast, it's not cost effective to fly all the way out there for 4 days during Thanksgiving, come back to Nashville for three weeks, and then return to Oregon for Winter Break. Last year I joined in Thanksgiving with some so-close-they're-practically-family friends and shared an absolutely wonderful day with them, but this year I'm stepping out on my own. As I mentioned before, my cousin Kelsey is here this year, and she's not going home either, so together we devised a little plan for a Thanksgiving of our own. Surely, we thought, there are lots of students from the West Coast, who, along with our new international friends, aren't able to travel home for the short Thanksgiving break. So why not organize a Thanksgiving at Belmont?

That's exactly what we're doing. I'm taking reservations for the Feast -- the admission is $10 in advance, that way we can have it nicely catered -- and Kelsey is organizing the Family Game

Night Activities and Movie. I'm so excited for this opportunity to provide a warm and friendly Thanksgiving for people like Kelsey and me that are far away from home.

Here's a little recap of last year...the wonderful Thanksgiving at the Mays!

Truth be told: I'm scared

This Friday Belmont Residence Life is hosting an event called "Up all Night for All the Right Reasons" -- it's a homelessness awareness program during which students will literally stay up all night - outside on what we call "The Grassy Knoll" in front of our dorm. ResLife will put up a big screen and students will watch a documentary, listen to a guest speaker, and listen to several presentations on different outreach programs and volunteer opportunities in Nashville, given by myself and other RAs. Perhaps some of the students may walk away with a new understanding of homelessness - and that would be great - but that doesn't change the fact that I am completely dreading that night! Being (a) cold and (b) sleep deprived are two situations I try to avoid at all costs. I don't want to desert my teammates out there, but I'm afraid that I'll burst into tears or catch frostbite halfway through the night.

So I did a little negotiating. I'm taking a sleeping bag and a down comforter to wrap myself in, and I'm going to just huddle up in that and wish the hours away til morning. I thought I was all set until this morning: last night was in the low 30's, and Friday's forecast predicts a 70% chance of rain. I'm scared!

Okay, I'm off to study for a test on International Trade. Great stuff.

I hope your Monday is as Happy as Mine! :)