J-term... Mission Accomplished!

Hey everyone!

So finally J-term is over. It has been quite a trip. These first year seminars are supposed to be very thought provoking and exciting mine definitely has been. I have definitely learned a lot, and I am excited for the Spring Semester to begin.

Last night as we were sitting around me and my friends realized how fast time has gone by. It seems like only yesterday that we walked down the hall. Full of dreams, expectations, and A LOT of luggage. As we sat around discussing this, I realized that a lot of things have happened in the past months, as a freshman at Luther College.

I feel a different person from when I left home. Somehow I feel more independent, many even a little bit older. Granted I still have my moments, when I just want to curl up, and call my mom, and have her take care of me. But for the most part this has been a great experience.

Now I'm not only done with one semester, but in a couple of days Spring Semester will be here, and with it the chaos, of having to manage everything. I am really looking forward to this.

In honor of the upcoming semester me and one of my roommates got creative and decided to improve our room. The results were amazing. Also, I got a digital camera, so I have been a little picture crazy the past few days!


So all of you out there, (if there is anybody) feel free to comment. Give me suggestions on how to make this better. Ask questions. Give me something you would like me to talk about. Share your favorite quotes. I want to make this blog the best it can be for the upcoming semester. Help me OUT!

Thanks in advance! Have an amazing weekend... I'm looking forward to your insight!

Until next time,
Adriana

"Knowledge about yourself binds, weighs, ties you down; there is no freedom to move, and you act and move within the limits of that knowledge." -- Unknown

Snowday... At Luther?

I had a SNOWDAY today... my first and probably last one ever! This week in Decorah, it's supposed to snow a lot, and we are supposed to get a couple of inches, which for the most part we already got.

Yesterday, when I heard the news I quickly turned to my all-knowing friend Rachel, and asked her, if there was snow days in college. Sadly, she said no. Later, however, I received an e-mail from my J-term teacher, asking us to check our e-mail in the morning in case the training session scheduled for today was canceled. Hoping for the best I woke up five minutes before training and gladly found that the training was canceled. Yay!

And even thought i would have loved to spend all day in bed or frolic in the snow, I had a lot of things to do. I spent most of my morning looking up YouTube videos, for a project for my class. This project consists of picking a song and essentially making a 'music video' that somehow relates to a topic we have discussed in class. I also spent a few hours watching the movie Enough, the one with J-Lo, in which she is abused and in turn ends up killing her abusive husband, for class.

After that I had to go to practice for this dance that me and a group of friends are performing in March. It is an Indian piece, and honestly it has been harder than I expected, but fun. We are performing this dance for the Ethnic Arts Festival, which will take place in March, like I already mentioned. It's an exciting time for the different ethnicities present on campus to show everyone a taste of their culture, through music, art, and food. It's going to be an exciting time! I'll keep you updated on that. Have a safe weekend everyone! Stay warm : )

Until next time,

Adriana

"To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men - that is genius." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Volunteer Training

Hey everyone!

Today I had a very exciting and informative day. It was the first day of my volunteer training for the Domestic & Sexual Abuse Resource Center, this training is part of my first year seminar. I will be certified as a Level 1Crisis Worker, which will enable me to work as a volunteer for the Crisis Hotline, once I finish. The training consists of four training sessions that go from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m, with breaks in between.

The training was held in Baker Commons which is clear across campus from where I live. Not knowing how long it would take me to get there on foot, I decided to leave super early, with my hair wet (bad idea, I had a horrible headache by the time I got there). I got there on time, thankfully. And I soon discovered that other people from the surrounding area, and other Luther students besides our class were participating in the training. This was great, because some of my fellow students from the fall Social Work class were present, it was a great time to catch up (during breaks of course).

However, the first training session didn't got as smoothly as planned. We were interrupted by a double booking, and we had to trek back to campus and find another place to meet. At the end it turned out just fine, and we got to hear very interesting information about Domestic Violence. We even finished a half an hour early. All in all, the first training session was very exciting and I can't wait for the next three. I'll keep you updated!

Until next time,

Adriana

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose." Dr. Seuss

Here We Go Again... 2008!

I hope everyone had an absolutely amazing winter break... I didn't. It wasn't bad but I certainly hoped it was absolutely amazing. I worked, and most of my friends were in holidays in Mexico, so I spent a lot of the time doing nothing at home.

Christmas day, however, was pretty awesome. I got a new laptop and tons of clothes, always good to start off the New Year. But now I'm back, and getting into my routine here on campus.

Looking back at my fist semester on campus it's really surprising. I can't quite believe it. Really... I finished my first semester of college? And I have my respectable grades to prove it?!

I'm excited for what the New Year, and the new semester has to offer. I'm open to new experiences, people, and classes... starting of course with my first year seminar during J-term. Basically we take one class for three and a half weeks. Pretty sweet huh?!

I'm taking a class called Crisis Intervention, it's main focus is on violence. Domestic violence, in its many forms... sexual, physical, mental and emotional. I was super excited for this course, and today during our first class session I was not disappointed. Except for the fact that I have homework. But I'll get over it... I always do.

Until next time...

Adriana

"Hold on, cause the world will turn if you're ready or not".