Call me crazy, but this morning I woke up at four am to go for a five mile run and watch the Perseids Meteor Shower. I took the TAM (Trail Around Middlebury) loop through the Organic Farm, where I paused to watch the shooting stars. It was amazing to see the bright lights streak across the sky. It was incredibly still, and the only noises came from crickets, frogs, and the occasional bird call.  Mist rose off of the fields and as the sky lightened I ran through the woods and headed to a walkway that overlooks Otter Creek.

I would upload a photo, but it doesn’t capture the moment properly. I would much rather keep the memory in my head than try to capture it in a photo. I suppose that you are going to have to believe me when I say that it was beautiful. Everything. The shooting stars, morning sunrise, the light reflecting off the creek, and the steps of Mead Chapel where I ended my run.

August is always a difficult month for me. What I have been thankful for, however, is the support that continually comes from my friends and community. Middlebury has an incredible community here and I feel loved and supported. I honestly couldn’t have chosen a better way to spend my summer!

The other day, on my run, I had a lot of time to think about my summer. It’s sorta drawing to close, and I have to start emotionally preparing myself for more school (this means I need to open the math textbook I bought to review calculus. ehhhh). In my reflections, I realized that working at Midd in the summer is almost similar to Jterm.

For starters, you’re doing less. Whether it’s one class or working a job, there simply is less homework. (although just like how some Jterm classes can involve a lot of work, some jobs here are very demanding. I’m lucky that the admissions counselors don’t want us to do any work out of hours) This means more time to enjoy the surroundings – skiing in winter and hiking in the summer. Additionally, you get the relaxing time to hang out with friends without worrying about papers or exams. I’ve met so many great people this summer simply because I felt comfortable saying yes to doing insane things since I didn’t have any work to get done.

I almost didn’t work at Middlebury this summer. I almost went back to my job from last year. Who knows how my summer would’ve turned out had I done that, but I am soooooo thankful I decided to try something new. 10/10 would recommend spending a summer here.

A weekend of firsts!

So I did many things this weekend but two important ones were visiting both a J Crew and a Vineyard Vines stores for the first time. Just kidding I did much more important things than go to the Manchester outlets and visit those stores (though they were overwhelming). I spent the entirety of Sunday in Dorset at my friend Hope’s house. We had a great lunch together sitting by the pool, followed by shopping at the outlets where I had frozen hot chocolate (!!). After returning to her house we spent the rest of our time swimming (her pool is the perfect temperature) and had a great dinner of pizza, which is always a crowd favorite. Driving back to Middlebury was an adventure because we took a wrong turn but didn’t have service so we couldn’t use the GPS and sort of had to wing it.

Seeing as I am writing this blog post right now you know that I made it back.

While Sunday was a fun day (haha puns), Saturday was bittersweet. I dropped Carmina, my summer roommate, off at the train station so she can begin her semester abroad. I’m happy and excited for her, but also a little sad because I won’t see her for an entire year. (Maybe a lot sad).

Overall it was an eventful weekend, I’d have to say.

I’m finally FAMOUS!!!!!!!!! Or at least my grandmother thinks so. Just the other night I co-hosted #AAL, one of the summer radio shows that broadcasts every week from the campus radio station. The show plays music from Asia, Africa, and Latin America and has a specific theme each week. Most of the usual hosts were out this past week so I filled in for them and went to the studio with Tabitha and we did a Fantastic job if I say so myself.

As one can see from the picture, we were quite cozy. And I’m not ashamed to say that I tend to carry that blanket around with me sometimes. It is extremely comfortable and it calmed my nerves enough to put on a good show that night with Tabitha.

Aside from this being my first time in a radio station this was also my first experience having my voice broadcast over any distant before. It was a great time and I’m tempted to jump in and do it again this week. Only time will tell!

(Okay, not yet. I am not officially wearing the hat of First Year Counselor, but maybe half of that hat. A visor, if you will.)

However, I am psyched for Res Life training, as it means the freshmen will arrive! At the end of the month, I will be moving into the same first year hall where I lived last year, except this time in a single at the polar opposite end. See, when I came to campus on move-in day, I had no clue what an FYC was. Maybe my tour guide mentioned it, but I was too interested in where the occupant of the room stored her skis to have caught the explanation. Either way, when I received an email from a mysterious ~Joey~ last summer, I was a bit confused, but rolled with it. So earlier this week when I got that long-awaited email with the list of who will be living on my hall, I was elated. I sent an email to all 16 first years explaining who I was, what I’ve been up to, and telling them about what their dorm would be like. Unbeknownst to me, some of the emails on the list I received were incorrect, and I made the mistake of not double checking that the emails matched up with names. Yikes.

Regardless, I’m still incredibly excited to be an FYC this year. Not only do I still get to live in the same building as many of my sophomore friends (hi Colin), but I can be a resource for new students who are adjusting to their first year at college. As part of the Res Life staff, I’ll have closer ties with my dean, the new Atwater commons faculty head, our new CRA, and the other Res Life team members, which hopefully means running activities and new events for the commons. My favorite part of having an FYC last year was that his room was always on an open-door policy, so it was kind of like a lounge space for our hall. He always had snacks, coffee, music, and open ears whenever we wanted to complain, vent, or seek advice (which was frequently). MiddView is notoriously one of the best weeks of the year, and I truly can’t wait for my new role in it next month.

Pre Taylor Swift I started out with 721 photos on my camera roll. By the time 11:39pm the night of the concert I had 935.  To say I lost it at Taylor Swift would be an understatement. My photo album doesn’t even include my 165 second snap story (only for you Taylor). I don’t even know where to begin with this post or even how to attempt to give you a glimpse of the magic that was Taylor Swift’s 1989 World Tour show at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough Massachusetts.

I captioned one photo “everything is beautiful and nothing hurts”, the guy in front of me spent half the show with his ears covered every time I screamed (sorry not sorry dude), and I may have teared up (read: I definitely teared up about 3 times). When the lights went down I didn’t know what to do with myself. This may seem a bit over-dramatic but I had been waiting to be in the same room as Taylor Swift since I was 12. THAT’S 8 YEARS. I’d also like to amend my previous post and say that the first song of hers I ever heard on the radio was “Tear Drops on My Guitar” not “Fifteen”–my b. “Fifteen” just holds a special place in my heart…which is why when she played it that may have been one of the points at which I teared up. IT WAS JUST SO GOOD.

Also, “Love Story” happened, arguably her most famous song. There were LED bracelets that lit up in time with the music. (LOOK HOW BEAUTIFUL)

This was not just a concert, this was a show. She sang mashups, MKTO showed up to sing “Classic”, there was a rock version of “We are Never Ever Getting Back Together”, she even had a catwalk that rose her above the crowd like the angel that she is and then IT SPUN.

[Sidenote: I was so excited about this post that I wrote it on the plane and when I sneezed the lady sitting next to me didn’t say bless you 🙁 ]

One of her song states “the best people in life are free”, but honestly this is the only time Taylor has been wrong because she was not free and she was the best. After asking my friend post-concert how he was doing, he responded “I can’t breathe”…I think that’s a pretty accurate summation of the whole experience because it left me breathless (BAM ended with a Tswift reference #proudofmyself #blessed #taylornation)

PS I did do other things on my vacation but Taylor deserves her own post

here’s a picture of me, loving Taylor Swift

The other night I was on my way to Marble Works to meet a friend for dinner at American Flatbread. He was running a little bit late so I decided to take in the views of the waterfall and surrounding greenery that sit right next to Marble Works.

I realize that some of our posts have probably mentioned the ‘amazing views’ or ‘natural beauty’ of Vermont but it’s just something we can’t help but talk about. I love that I can walk into town and get to sit next to a waterfall for a few minutes before I have dinner. I often find myself looking down at my feet when I walk around so every time I notice this I try to look up and really take in the surroundings of this community that I get to be a part of for the next couple of years.

If you get to visit this wonderful town don’t forget to take a deep breath and just look at the buildings, mountains, and numerous open spaces that are around you. You won’t regret it.

If anything deserves an emotional response, I cry. If I’m happy, there are tears. Sad? tears. Cold? crying. Did I see a dog? practically sobbing. I told my dean that my goal was to not cry during finals and he said that that might not be a good goal as I seem to be a crier. I promise I’m not an emotional wreck, my body just really enjoys producing tears.

I do, however, have anxiety. And part of it (there are many parts but this is one) definitely stems from the desire to make it seem like I have everything together. My tendency to cry directly conflicts with that and makes me that much more stressed.

I’m very lucky to have ended up at a school like Middlebury that has all the support in place for students like me who have anxiety or other struggles. My dean has helped me out so much with stress management, encouragement, and even some (surprisingly helpful) boy advice. He (and other super helpful people- read the student resource guide for more) have told me that it’s ok to not be perfect, feel a full range of emotions and even -gasp- let other people know that I’m not a robot.

That being said, I managed my time and stress well during finals and finished the week tear free. I emailed my dean & he said he was proud of me.

When I was a kid, family vacations consisted of loading food, sleeping bags, tents, and various supplies into a van and traveling to different national parks, museums, and hiking trails. We didn’t go to Disney Land, major cities, or massive theme parks. We saw Mount Rushmore, Crater Lake, the Oregon Trail, and Laura Ingalls Wilder’s home. The east coast, and all its cities, landmarks etc., was as far removed from my childhood as China or England. It was something to read about, but never to actually experience.

When I came to Middlebury College, I knew that I wanted to see and experience the east coast. I didn’t get to visit Boston, New York, and Washington D.C. during the regular school year, so I planned a two week trip over the summer. I stayed with friends, visited historical sites, ate delicious food, and explored the three cities.

In New York I had my first New York Bagel (I don’t know if I am going to be able to eat a non-New York bagel ever again), in Boston I climbed to the top of the Bunker Hill Monument, and in D.C. I was able to visit the national mall at night. I was up at seven in the morning and I didn’t fall asleep until about eleven o’clock at night. I tried to see as much as I could, but the more I saw the more I wanted to see. You could spend years visiting these places and never fully explore all the nooks and crannies. I walked about 13 miles every day, and I ate as much delicious food as I possibly could.

Places that stand out to me are the Boston Public Library, Botanical Gardens, MET, Highline, Italian District, Library of Congress, Smithsonian Museums, Freedom Trail, and parks. It was an amazing trip and I had a blast! I also really enjoyed meeting up with various MiddKids along the way.

Even though I had a wonderful time on my trip, I was excited to come home. I realized just how special Middlebury is and how much I have changed over the course of one year. I am not the same person that I was when I first came here. The community at Middlebury is incredible. I have been influenced, shaped, and changed by it. I look forward to next year and I can honestly say that choosing to come to Middlebury was one of the best decisions I have ever made… For both my academics and my personal growth.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be two days away from seeing the fearless Taylor Swift. My friends think I’m insane because of how excited I am about the concert, but it will hands-down be the best day of the summer. The love story between me and Taylor Swift has been going on since I was 12/13 and first heard her song “Fifteen”.  Greg Buckles, Dean of Admissions, thought it would be funny to make a joke that she had strep throat…what he doesn’t know is that there is nothing better than revenge so he should watch out. Bonus points if you can pick out all the Tswizzle references in this post. As a warning I may be feeling 22 but there are not actually 22 reference in this post.

#1daymore