At the risk of fixating too much upon our impending graduation, I’m going to continue in Teresa’s theme and write about the 200 Days party that took place this past weekend in McCullough Social Space.  As a member of the Senior Committee, I’ve spent considerable time and energy over the past several weeks planning this party, working with catering staff to decide exactly which Grille delicacies we wanted to eat, coordinating with Student Activities to have a large helium tank delivered to blow up several hundred balloons, and collaborating with a friend with an exceptional amount of artistic talent to design and print a poster for the event.  At the party, everything came together in a fabulous way, and everyone had a wonderful time.  Because the event was open only to seniors, it felt exclusive and intimate like few other parties do on this campus, where almost every social event is open to everyone.  It was a great opportunity to catch up with classmates I hadn’t seen in several years (including my freshman year roommate) and just generally to enjoy each other’s company and of course, to savor one of the final 200 days of our senior year.

Many friends I spoke with said it reminded them of freshman year all over again, except without the nerves, loneliness and anxiety that we all came to college with.  After having lunch with a friend who is in her first semester at Middlebury this past week, I’ve been thinking back a lot about my freshman year, and the transformations that I’ve made during these past four years at Middlebury. I very clearly remember coming to college feeling a little lost, eager and anxious to make friends and find “my people” at Middlebury, and excited and nervous about fitting in at a new place. Now, four years later, I easily consider Middlebury my home away from home. I have found fabulous friends here who I know will last for life, I have cultivated relationships with professors and consider many of them friends, and I have come to love this campus and the state of Vermont through many driving excursions, hiking trips, farmers market runs and picnics in the organic garden.  Even though starting college can seem impossibly daunting at first, it really does get easier, and chances are good that you’re not the only one feeling a little overwhelmed.  And then, before you know it, you will have found those friends, taken those classes and met those professors that inspire you, and found your place, wherever it is, at Middlebury. And then, before you can blink, you too will be attending your 200 Days party.

Perhaps I’m experiencing a premature wave of nostalgia at leaving Middlebury (Midd-sickness, as I heard one alum friend refer to it), but I am reminded now of the great challenge college represents, but also how rewarding the experience can become.  I’m determined to make the most of these final 200 days, spend quality time with my friends, and try not to count down the days until the next party…100 days (yikes!).

This morning I, along with the rest of the class of 2012, woke up at 6:50 am for the last time. We turned on our lamps, pulled out the list of CRN numbers we scrawled on papers the night before, and logged on to bannerweb. Then, we counted the seconds down to 7:00. At 6:59:59, students clicked across campus and began copying in codes as quickly as possible, vying for spots in our first-choice classes.

Now, this may all seem a bit dramatic. As seniors, we get first pick at registration and are very likely to get exactly the classes we want. But we go through the routine nonetheless, cherishing our final round of registration. The courses we signed up for today will be our last at Middlebury College.

With Middlebury’s impressively large course catalog, it has been a chore to find the right balance between finishing out all our requirements and making sure we squeeze in the random classes we always wanted to take but didn’t have time to… Actually, I can’t lie, I tried to register for an overload (5 courses) because I had so much trouble narrowing down my interests. Unfortunately, banner only let me sign up for 4, which is probably prudent in the end. Realistically there is no way I could balance 5 classes, job applications, Crew’s spring season, other extra-curricular commitments and still find time to see my friends (my top priority for second semester of senior year!).

I ended up registered for Political Islam with the absolutely incredibly Quinn Mecham, The Japanese Economy (a little out of my comfort zone…), Advanced Arabic, and Arabic Linguistics. We’ll see if I make it into my 5th choice, Chinese Readings in Politics and Business. It’s saddening to have my schedule set for the rest of my college career, but also invigorating to be looking forward to a whole new set of classes and my final semester at Midd!

I’d encourage any perspective students to look through the online course catalog online and try to create your ideal semester at Middlebury. Chances are, you’d inevitably encounter some scheduling conflicts (as I did this semester) and have to alter your plans accordingly, but I guarantee you could easily find something else you’d love to take!

With Winter Term registration come and gone, now is an ideal time to play one of my favorite games. Below are ten Winter Term courses. Five are real. Five are fake.

I should preface this by noting that the J-Term Game (©)  should not be construed as a comment on the academic or other value of any of the real courses. Please direct all complaints to my colleague, Arthur Choo.  Answers below: T = True, F = Fake.

1)      “Modern Family” and the Modern Family

In this course, we explore the relationship between the ABC sitcom and the “real,” modern American family.  What can sitcom culture teach us about gender and familial roles in 21^st century American life? What is the dialectic between the two?

2)      Experiential Anatomy & Yoga  

Experiential anatomy involves learning about the body through the body. In this anatomy and kinesiology course, we will study the skeletal system the neuro-muscular, endocrine, organ, and circulatory systems.

3)      Dancing in the Dark

An exploration of shadow, movement, and the human form, this course will ask its participants to play with all three concepts in a series of improvisational and “scripted” performances without the benefit of standard lighting.

4)      Arachnophobia, Arachnophilia

For many people arachnids trigger fear, from simple unease to clinical arachnophobia. For others, arachnids evoke admiration and inspiration. We will examine depictions of arachnids and why they elicit such divergent psychological responses.

5)      Giving Meaning to Ordinary Time: Exploring the Jewish Sacred Calendar

Beginning with an overview of the history and evolution of Jewish culture and religion, we will examine the holy days and holidays of Judaism. We will also examine contemporary issues of gender, emerging practices, and the portrayal of religious holidays in pop culture.

6)      Lipids and the Obesity “Epidemic”

The expanding, American waste-band poses a challenge to policy makers, sociologists, and economists alike. In this course, we look at the biological foundations of weight gain. What can science teach us about weight gain, and what implications could this knowledge have for policy makers?

7)      Persuasive Legal Writing

In this intensive reading and writing course, students will practice writing persuasive arguments while analyzing contemporary legal issues. We will acquire a basic understanding of the way disputes are resolved within the U.S. legal system.

8)      How to Win Friends and Influence People

Dale Carnegie’s iconic, self-help book suggests there is an identifiable formula for gaining friends and social authority. Is he right? In this course we adopt the social scientist’s analytical method to explore the validity of what has become a veritable Bible for the 20^th century “social climber.”

9)      “Alternative” Music

The very existence of “alternative rock” suggests that we can identify a “conventional  rock.” Exploring the development of rock through the 1980s and 1990s, we will attempt to answer whether such a title makes musical sense. The course will include extended explorations of Nirvana, the Stone Temple Pilots, and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

10)   Journeys to the Edge: Mountain Exploration and Adventure

In this course, we will examine the history and culture of mountain exploration and adventure through literature, nonfiction narrative, film, and guest presentations.  Students will trace changing cultural attitudes toward risk, adventure, masculinity, and wildness.

Answers: (1) F (2) T (3) F (4) T (5) T (6) F (7) T (8) F (9) F (10) T.

Early morning, I wake up to the sound of my annoying alarm clock to start another busy day in Middlebury College. Usually, after I get ready in the morning, I have an extra twenty five minutes to play my guitar before I go to Proctor Dining Hall to get breakfast. I am productive in the morning, which is the reason I start studying and finishing my homework as early as eight o’ clock. My classes are scheduled in the afternoon, which works for me because I have had the time to review my assignments and prepared questions to class. My favorite classes are my English and Spanish seminars. In my English seminar, we are discussing about the play The Roaring Girl, which is my favorite play so far- right after Shakespeare’s play The Taming of the Shrew and Webster’s play The Duchess of Malfi. Moll, the main protagonist, is a character who challenges society’s conventional norms of gender and politics. For instance, in the 1600s, just like today, society defines two gender roles: male and female. Anything that does not conform to these specific gender roles creates a source of anxiety, conflict, and, at times, laughter. Moll represents neither male nor female. She embodies both sexes through her apparel (sword, jacket, hat, skirt),  through her defiant actions (smoking tobacco, participating in the male public sphere, carrying a sword) and through her voice (speaks and defends female roles in society). My final paper revolves on this topic with the plays: The Taming of the Shrew and The Roaring Girl. In my Spanish seminar, we are reading Cervantes’ Don Quixote, which happens to be my favorite class in my four years in Middlebury College. I never thought this one class would change my life around, starting with the fact that I am learning about Cervantes’ writing and the medieval/renaissance cultures in this book. Because of this seminar, I figured out what academic field I would like to study if I decide to pursue a PhD or Master’s degree in English Literature: Medieval Literature. After my classes, I take a good forty minute nap and then grab a snack in the dining hall. Afterwards, I go to my favorite spot on campus, a lounge in Ross, where I can get all my readings and work done for the next day. Depending on the day, sometimes, I am responsible to run the meetings/discussions of the Voices of Indigenous People club or Alianza club. During the evenings, I hang out with my friends and skype with my relatives, especially my mother with whom I made a promise to keep in touch with everyday I am at Middlebury. As it gets dark, I head back to my room, and with the remaining half an hour I have left, I read a book and/or write a part of a story. Then, I fall asleep to continue my routine the next day.