TODAY is the very dreadful last day of summer vacation.

It is weird to say that I am now officially a sophomore and honestly I am also a little bit nervous. Not doing any school work for about four months makes me a little VERY concerned about my mental preparedness for starting classes tomorrow. Although, I have this feeling that this year is going to be a very good year because I am now more involved on campus activities. Also, I’m kind of a big deal (according to the mug I found at a cute store in town), so I think I can handle a second year in rural Vermont.

Even though I will no longer be a Summer Intern here at the office, I will still be working here throughout the year as an Admissions Student Assistant. So the Emma Willard House will be one of my stops three times a week this year. I’m looking forward to see what this year will be like, and as of now it looks like it’s off to a good start!

Now Here’s a pretty picture of the sign in our waiting room.

The freshmen moving in yesterday made me reflect on the transitions that come with moving away from home. Reminds me of how I felt my first days here. Moving to college is really exciting but also a very strange feeling. There’s always a mixture of emotions that come with it: excitement, nervousness, relief, and fear… etc.

Many freshmen were feeling this way yesterday and I just want to say that this is perfectly normal. One of the FYCs in Battell wisely told them, “Feel what you need to feel, when you need to feel it.” I thought this was a great piece of advice and that’s why I wanted to share this with all of you.

Transitions are part of all of our lives. At some point, everyone goes through these life transitions (eventually). And as the Freshmen transition into their homes for the year, the school transitions from summer to fall! The leaves are starting to change, even though the weather feels very much like summer. But you see, even the world around us is constantly changing.

I spent my summer at home: chillin’ with my mom, babysitting, and eating a lot of homemade meals (YUM). Being from Southern California and coming into my first year last year was a very scary experience, especially because I came alone. And by alone I mean COMPLETELY alone. No Mom. No Dad. No siblings. It was just be and my two lovely suitcases. But even though this was one of the scariest things that I ever had to do in my life, I was perfectly okay with taking the first step towards a big chapter in my life. (For the most part)

“Are you gonnah miss your mom?” “No…”

None the less, my first year here at Middlebury was amazing experience, with amazing people, and of course I had an amazing job here at the admissions office. And now, I am getting ready to start my second year here at Middlebury!!! Crazy how time goes by so fast, I feel like I was JUST moving in.

This year I will be living in the Italian house. I’m really excited that I get to live in an actual home and not in the dorms. Not that there is anything wrong with living in the dorms, but living in a home just feels a lot more personal and connected. Part of living in a language house means that we will only be allowed to speak that language, which will be tough but in a good way. Being from a Hispanic household, I always spoke Spanish at home. So I would go to school or be in the outside world and speak English, but then would come home and speak Spanish. I missed having this dynamic play out in my life my first year here, which is why I am very excited to reincorporate that living style this second year. The house is also beautiful and in a very central location on campus, but that was just a bonus. Hopefully, I’ll be more than prepared to use my language skills abroad!

TA DA!

A summer intern’s work is never really finished. That is, not until we help the Dean of Admissions himself with a daunting task.

Greg Buckles is a very stylish person who likes to make sure his office is impeccable in all aspects. He often graces us with presence when descends from his lofty office on the second and the experience is always welcomed.

Yesterday was a fun time getting to help Greg keep his office up to current fashion code. The phone in his office is black but the original cord attaching the phone to the  base was a light shade of brown. So I located a black cord and aided him in installing it. I’m proud to write that he said I was “handier than a pocket on a shirt.”

Today is my last day*, so naturally I am looking back on the summer. My first day feels like yesterday but also like forever ago. So much has happened over these past months. I’ve trained for a marathon, visited the Ben & Jerry’s factory, found many new swimming holes, and went to prom.

I met many new friends and developed old relationships. I saw fireworks and beautiful mountain sunsets. I ate a lot, tried new things, and all in all had a wonderful time.

Not everything went perfectly. I’ve been eaten alive by bugs. Plants are not my friend. I liked someone, but it didn’t pan out.

I’m thankful for a great summer with some pretty amazing interns and admissions counselors. I couldn’t have done it without them. Maybe someday we will learn how to take a jumping photo. 

* I’m giving a tour tomorrow and I’ll be back after orientation to work in the office. This isn’t a goodbye.

I’m back. I know I said that yesterday’s post was the last of the summer but after the events of last night I have to document my thoughts and feelings somewhere.

As everyone in the office knows, I am both wildly competetive and completely into trivia, so as a goodbye to summer trivia I went to the Marquis last night. Our team was named “the remix to admissions” and it was comprised of myself, Daria, Claire, Ella, and Ellie (the last two also being tour guides). While there was only one other team playing against us the first round was a rollercoaster. Once all the answers were read, the other team was ahead by 1 point. In the second round we made a come-back and tied up the game. It all came down to this final round. Would we win free movie tickets (the first place prize) or free popcorn (the second place prize)? Being that there were only two teams it would be embarrassing for a team of 5 to lose to a team of 3. As Pierre, the Marquis trivia emcee, read off the questions for the final round I was seriously doubting our ability to win and was beginning to resign myself to second place. After turning in our sheet, Pierre looks at both teams and says, “Considering how the answers were going that last round, exactly what I was expecting to happen happened….it was a direct tie! Both teams get free movie passes!!”

After 3 long months of waiting for free movie passes and winning trivia, it finally happened. Maybe it wasn’t the out-right win that I wanted but it doesn’t matter. IT STILL HAPPENED.

Nothing can bring me down, not even moving all my stuff across campus today…ok maybe that can bring me down but the movie ticket brings me right back up. Happy summer everyone!

So as I said in my blog post from Monday, this week is my last week as an admissions summer intern and I have to make it worthwhile. I did this in several ways these past few days. I went shopping in town, learned how to open a can without a can opener, and I packed for my move tomorrow. The summer interns also discovered that we are probably the most dysfunctional group of people when it comes to taking a jumping photo. I’d say the most important goodbye of the summer is to 82 adirondack view (aka Mumbas aka the hockey house). Originally, I was supposed to live in Starr (fifth floor. no elevator) for the entire summer, but because of construction I was moved to 82 adirondack. This house sits right where they are planning on building the ridgeline townhouses, so it was set to be demolished at the beginning of the summer. My roommate and I, as well as the other residents of the house, ruined that plan. Last week I moved out so I wasn’t demolished with the house and decided to take a final picture.

the photo I will submit to archives as the last resident of 82

As I start to say goodbye to summer I want everyone to give a special shout-out to the house that definitely deserves to be demolished but still served me well. Also bye bye admissions.

…

just kidding see you in september!

When you live on campus for months on end, the dogs that you interact with on a regular basis are few. So, if I’ve learned anything over this past year, it’s that college students love (read: freak out when they see) dogs. When my advisor asked if I would dogsit for him a few days ago, I did not hesitate to accept. It was a pretty low-key event, as I ate soup on the front porch while Louie moved from one spot on the grass to another. As I mentioned in a previous post, the garden is the biggest and most beautiful I’ve ever seen. I saw more hummingbirds in one sitting here than anywhere else. Basically, what I realized is that my professor’s house is my dream home. I spent more time looking around outside than I did actually reading my textbook. When I did make the bold move to lie on the grass right next to where Louie was lounging, as soon as I took a seat, he moved away…I see how it is. But other than that, hanging out alone with a dog is the best way to spend an evening. Even if I do consider myself more of a cat person.

Speaking of cats, last weekend I spent a few days in Montreal, where we spent one morning at the most interestingly themed cafe I’ve ever seen: Les Café des Chats (trans. The Cat Cafe!). So yes, you can buy coffee, espresso, and baked sweets, while PLAYING WITH CATS. They just lounge around in their cushions and cat trees for you to pet and admire. Goals.

Because a close friend of mine is living in the sustainable food house all summer, I’ve spent quite a few days hanging out there too. We cooked dinner together there Sunday night, and someone who lived there previously kept their pet bunny in the house for the summer. While I did get kicked in the face once or twice, it was still the cutest and softest little floppy eared animal, and I want to adopt one. So as you can see, even if the furthest extent I’ll go in my own dorm room as far as owning an animal is with a fish tank, there are still plenty of furry pals around. Maybe I’ll adopt a turtle next.

Unlike Colin, Kelsey, and Daria, I did not spend this weekend at Ciderstock. Instead I spent some time at my friend’s cabin in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.

upside down because technology is hard

I went paddleboarding, kayaking, and on a low-key hike. Without internet or phone sevice for the weekend my friends (Megan and Ellie) and I spent the weekend watching movies, eating, reading, and doing crossword puzzles. 10/10 I would definitely recommend a get-away weekend before classes/orientation starts because you never know when your next one will be.

Final thoughts: 1)  Always Always go outside when the weather is nice because you never know how long it will last. 2) Not being on your phone in bed can drastically increase the number of sleeping hours you get [UNREAL AMOUNTS OF SLEEP]

This is my last week as a summer admissions intern, I have to make it worthwhile so my blogposts are cool enough to be read

So after having a week full of pitiful dinners, with the worst being wednesday night when I had string cheese and oreos, getting free pizza was life-changing. 20 people finished 10 pizzas in about 30 minutes? To say that the summer student employees left on campus were hungry is an understatement. I know that the trend of all of our most recent posts have been about the struggle of a closed dining hall, but I think this blog is a perfect demonstration of the phrase ” you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone”

I MISS THE DINING HALLS

I honestly can’t wait for even just one dining hall to reopen again. Even if it’s proctor. That would be a blessing.

I do have to say thank you to the admissions counselors who have been bringing in snacks to the office because they have made a huge difference in how my days have been going, simply with the small addition of food.

Only 10 days left until the dining halls open!!!