As stated in a previous post, I spent an absurd amount of time travelling this weekend to go visit my best friend from high school. While I spent most of Friday eating, sleeping, and watching television (read: doing nothing), on Saturday I went to not one, not two, but THREE Fourth of July parties (mainly eating at all of them). I first went to Red Hook, NY where I met up with some of my best friends from high school. After losing terribly at corn-hole I thought it was best that I go back to what I do best, which is consuming food. While eating a little bit of every snack that was there I helped to make a jell-o masterpiece that took an absurdly long time, but was worth the satisfaction of having jell-o arranged like an American flag

After leaving, I then went back to Connecticut to meet up with my friend’s family. There I knew absolutely no one (but I did meet a guy with a prosthetic leg!!) so I just ate more food and hung out with my friend’s family. From there my friend and I went to go get her younger brother from his friends house so we could go see fireworks and after staying at this house (my third and final party where I ate more) for a but we finally went to the fireworks. Now I LOVE fireworks, I think they’re magic mainly because I have no idea how the science behind their shapes work without burning everything on the ground. So here I had the perfect setting to see some great fireworks. It had stopped raining, the clouds had cleared up, and the backdrop for my Fourth of July fireworks were mountains. I thought this was going to be great but for whatever reason (maybe because it was too humid and there was no wind) the smoke from the fireworks never dissipated. So instead of watching fireworks and a great finale, by the end there was this massive blinking cloud, behind which were the fireworks I was so excited to see. I managed to get a picture before the cloud got too big but imagine a cloud that was tinted by the color of the firework behind it. Watching the finale seemed more like experiencing a lightening storm without the rain the way the sky lit up. Overall it was actually pretty cool, but next time I see fireworks I hope to actually see them.

The summer before my sophomore year of high school was the only time that I have ever celebrated the Fourth of July in any official capacity. This past weekend was the second time that I celebrated it. In the morning, Maxwell and I made snacks and baked goods. Then we drove to Burlington with a group of friends to watch the fireworks explode across the night sky. We spread blankets out on the grass, ate the delicious food we had made, and saw the lights from the fireworks reflect off of Lake Champlain. The evening was perfect. I really enjoyed spending time in Burlington and hanging out with Daria, Maxwell, and other students here on campus. The sugar cookies you see on the right were decorated by a friend of mine. It was nice to spend the day with friends and to do something out of the ordinary.

It seems weird to me that out of all of the questions that I get asked in the admissions office, the most frequent one is: what do you do at Middlebury? My answer? Look at this blog. Yes, Middlebury is in rural Vermont, but there is always something going on. The question shouldn’t be what do you do, but rather, what don’t you do? There is so much going on that I am never bored. Burlington is 45 minutes away and the town of Middlebury provides lots of room for exploration and fun! And, if I don’t have anything planned, I can always look forward to having fantastic conversations with the people around me.

The dining halls on campus do a wonderful job of catering to student tastes but they can’t do it all. So sometimes you have to jump in and take matters into your own  hands! There are moments when a childhood favorite would just hit the spot, so I made a dining hall version of a Rice Krispies Treat.

 It’s actually quite simple and really fun to mix and match different foods in the dining halls here. Each one has different high points that we get to work with.To make said treat all you need to do is put some marshmallows into a bowl with a little butter (I like to add chocolate personally) and put it in the microwave for about 12 seconds or so. Take it out, add the cereal, and mix it all together. And Voila! Instant Proctor dessert to be enjoyed with friends. 

With panini makers, microwaves, waffle makers and a variety of ingredients at your disposal the (food) world is your oyster!

 Middlebury College has an organic farm that  students created and contribute to. Last year students bulit a pizza oven there that is regularly used to make homemade pizzas.

Last Friday night I went to the Organic Farm and we fired up the oven for some delicious pizza! Unfortunately, because the oven needs to be rebuilt, that was the last time we will fire up the pizza oven this summer.

On Saturday we destroyed the old oven and then started the rebuilding process. We dug clay, mixed it with straw and water, and then molded it into the shape of the oven. In about a week we will put an outer layer on the oven, and then it should be ready to use in the fall. 

I asked Caitlin (the girl who decided to build the pizza oven) what inspired her, and she said that it was her community. In her hometown there is an oven that anyone can use and it allows people to come together, eat great food, and have fun. She wanted to create a similar space on campus. If you are here feel free to come down, enjoy some pizza, meet some incredible people, and appreciate the Vermont outdoors.

As a 20-year-old, I have been told several times that I am an adult, but up until this weekend I had yet to fend for myself. My roommate went to New York for the weekend and, like the adult that I am, instead of sleeping in my house alone, I stayed at a friend’s house. Considering that there is no meal plan at my friend’s house, we realized that we would actually have to feed ourselves. So, I took on the task of making my own chicken (my friend is a vegetarian so she was absolutely no help). Luckily I was successful in making my own dinner; I did not contract food poisoning, nor did I have to lie to the cook about how tasty the meal was. Overall I’d say cooking with Kendall was a success–if anyone needs someone to make dinner, let me know!**

(photo evidence below)

**edits provided by Sam Prouty

When I came to the east coast from the west coast I knew that there might be differences in culture, lifestyles, expectations, and experiences. What I didn’t think about was food. I figured that the food here would be similar to back home. To some extent it IS the same. Both the east and west coast share some of the same types of food, restaurants, and manners. There are, however, major differences. Cooking styles, types of foods, and names are just a few I can list off of the top of my head. Climates, crops, etc. determine what kinds of food are available to use and eat. Here in Vermont soft serve is called a creemee. New York style pizza is extremely different from pizza in Oregon. Back home there are some really great authentic Mexican restaurants. Vermont has apple cider doughnuts. I hadn’t ever been to a Dunkin’ Donuts until I came to the east coast. The list goes on and on.

The differences in food is mind-blowing. It makes me glad that I came to the east coast. I love to understand another lifestyle and to notice differences and similarities within my own country. Because Middlebury College brings in students from all over the country (and the world) it has its own unique blend of cultures, foods, and perspectives. What is funny is how similar Middlebury feels to the west coast and yet, how different. It is always exciting to compare experiences and to share perspectives and types of food. While I might become homesick for Moe’s Clam Chowder (a small Oregon chain that you should try) or my mom’s homemade cooking, it is definitely a treat to try new things!

Oh, and a side note: if you are from the east coast there is a lot unique to Vermont. Check out other posts by summer interns to learn more! Also, if you are here in town you should definitely go to Noonie’s Deli. It is a wonderful place to grab a sandwich! Daria and I recommend Purple’s Pleasure.

One of my best friends is leaving on Friday to study in New Zealand. I’m going to miss her but I know she’s going to have a fabulous time. To celebrate/ say goodbye, another friend and I drove over to her house in Shelburne (near Burlington) then hopped on over to the city to – wait for it – eat. (have you noticed a pattern yet? good for you)

We wandered Church Street, an iconic marketplace, and found a yummy restaurant. I got an apple brie black bean burger. phenomenal.

Sarah, the girl going abroad, was stuffed, but Sophie and I needed dessert so we made Sarah take us to the Skinny Pancake, the famous crepe place. After the burger and the brownie crepe, I actually was so full I thought I might explode. But honestly the food was so good that I didn’t mind. 

Unfortunately, it started to rain during dinner so we didn’t get to explore as much as we would’ve liked. Sophie and I also had to drive back to Middlebury (we have the bedtime of your average grandma). I can’t wait to hear about Sarah’s experiences in NZ & hope I can resume exploring my favorite tiny city soon.

As someone who is not a huge fan of seafood (read: I hate seafood) when I looked at the menu for dinner last night and saw that there was not one but TWO types of fish available I was not psyched. So instead of eating the appetizing meal in the dining hall of seafood, I decided to venture into town for American Flatbread. American Flatbread is an amazing pizza place in town and despite discovering that they no longer have their apple bacon cheddar pizza I still very much enjoyed my meal. Flatbread receives 10/10, I would definitely recommend coming to flatbread if you’re ever in the mood to get away from the dining hall for a bit.

Once again, I’m here to report about food in Middlebury. This weekend we had a food truck festival visit town! Once my roommate and friends finished rowing on Lake Dunmore, we ventured into town to eat as much as we could. (I was not rowing- I spent that time reading in the local bookstore. Fret not, I did run earlier that morning #fitness). I tried maple lemonade, then waited for what felt like forever in like for tacos and fries. Thankfully while I was in line my friend brought me pizza to tide me over. During line pizza time, the sky suddenly decided it hated all things food and dumped rain on everyone. (shoutout to the lady who let me stand under her umbrella!) Eventually though the rain subsided, just in time for me to order my fried avocado tacos and truffle fries. I ate the last avocado taco that the truck produced. It tasted like delicious victory. The truffle fries were also delicious, and, being the basic girl that I am, I photographed  them to show my friend who went home for the weekend what she was missing.

Your favorite #1 sports fan is super pumped for the US Women’s game tonight!!!!! No fries (unless they magically appear), but hopefully there will still be some delicious victory

Something that I love about Middlebury College is the community. Students (and faculty members) really care about each other. Whether it is an occasion for joy or a somber moment, you can always find someone to celebrate, laugh, cry, and talk with.

Yesterday was the birthday of a girl preforming research for the physics department. Instead of just writing a generic message on Facebook  (or saying happy birthday to her in BiHall), we baked a homemade carrot cake, signed a card, and held a celebration in the Stewart Basement. As we sang Happy Birthday to her, I thought about how the candles reminded me of the community here on campus. Warm, vibrant, beautiful, welcoming, and altogether wonderful. The candlelight illuminated the smiles of my friends and I realized that I wouldn’t trade my time here at Middlebury College for anything.

Over the course of my first year here, I’ve had numerous late night night conversations with friends. In these conversations we have discussed relationships, academics, struggles, hopes, and dreams. After each conversation I grew to realize that what makes Middlebury unique is the people. I love the deep intellectual passions of my fellow students and the respect, encouragement, and support that is readily given.

I think that is important to look at a college and realize that you will be spending four years there. Those four years consist of both academic and personal growth. Your personal growth is shaped by the people around you. Try and look at schools where students can increase your perspective. Also look at schools where teachers support you both academically and personally. I cannot count how many times I have been thankful for my professors, dean, office manager, and fellow students. Life away from your parents and community can be difficult and challenging. It is definitely important to surround yourself with people who support you and further your understandings of the world.

Middlebury is home. When I say the word home, I do notmean that lightly. For me, the concept of home is almost sacred. Home is where I feel comfortable, safe, welcomed, supported, loved, and relaxed. It is a place that I can call my own. Home as a concept encompasses both place and people. It is an environment where everyone drops what they are doing to help celebrate a birthday away from family.