My New Year's Eve Blog!

Being home is really setting in!

While I have to say I really did miss it here, I'm kind of anxious to get back to GW.  If I could transplant all the people I love from home to DC, I'd do it in a heartbeat.  My home town is too small!  Actually, my county is just too small.  I've done some shopping and errand-running in the past few weeks, and NO MATTER WHERE I WENT, I saw someone I knew.  Whether it was the doctor's office, the old almost-abandoned mall nearby, the newer huger crazy-crowded mall nearby, or even on the Cross-Bronx Expressway on the way to Long Island, I saw SOMEONE I know.  It was ridiculous.  Cause then you have to small talk or acknowledge that you know each other but aren't exactly buddies and catch up--and it can be awkward, ya know?  When I saw my old acquaintance on the Cross-Bronx I Facebooked them.  Ya know, the ole' "Hey, nice seeing you!" wall post.  I think that was an appropriate response, no?

Now, that doesn't happen at GW.  I mean, I'm always seeing people I know around, but there's always new faces to see wherever you go!  Everything is just on a bigger scale, and I absolutely love that.

SOOOOO errybody, it's almost a new decade!  Who's excited?  I know I am!  I can't believe I can say I lived through the first decade of the millennium!  (Well, let's see how tonight goes, don't wanna speak too soon!!)  hahahaaa!!!

To be honest, I'm glad this decade is over.  It was a trying one, to say the least.  We went through the terrible twos and a difficult toddler-dom, and up until about 7-8 years old this decade was pretty rough!  Let's hope it’s better as a pre-teen!

Tonight, I'm going to a party with some friends and hoping to have a grand old time!  I've never cared too much about New Year's extravaganzas, but hey, I'll make the most of this one!  Some of us planned on going to Times Square for the party, but that kinda fell through.  And good riddance, it's wet and FREEZING out there!

And that's it for my New Year's Blog--I gotta go get ready!  So here's a pic from '07 in Times Square!  Seems like so long ago!

Of course, email me for any reason at shireens@gwmail.gwu.edu

~~~ Shireen

Happy New Years!

As 2009 comes to a close I have a lot to look back at during this decade.  I started it off as a young 11 year old with a sparkle in her eye.  I would hope that that sparkle is still there but I have grown so much and explored since 2000.

To say the least, I have started and finished high school, began my schooling in DC, saw history through this past election and travelled the world.  There is so much I have done, yet so much to still do.

I hope you all are able to look back at this past decade and smile and laugh at all of the good times you have had.  And I also help that you can look at the next decade in wonder and an open mind for what is next.

Have a happy new year everyone! Stay safe and warm tonight wherever you may be celebrating!

Kim

Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime!

... I'm actually not a huge fan of that song.  A tad too repetitive.

So Christmas with the family was wonderful!  On Christmas Eve, my parents and I had the traditional Italian-American "Feast of the Seven Fishes" (Google it) at my house, which was just lovely, and then on Christmas day, I went to my grandparents' house to see the whole family.  That's always a hilariously sitcom-esque affair.  I swear my mom's side of the family belongs on one of those colorful dysfunctional family shows.  We're a bit ridiculous together.

Also, as it turns out, I can no longer take that art history class that I was so excited about!  It conflicts with the time slot I was given for my internship, and I had to prioritize.  Instead, I'm taking a class called Faulkner & Morrison.  I absolutely LOVE Toni Morrison (actually, I met her and asked a very intelligent question in a discussion series one time) so I'm SUPER EXCITED!!!!!

Now for the one annoying aspect of a new course load:  NEW TEXTBOOKS.  Ugh.  They're super pricey and there's just so many to get--it adds up.  I'd suggest Amazon, that's where I get all mine, but you can also get used books from the GW bookstore at discounted prices.  And the perk is that if you use them gently you can sell them back once you're done.

(Added Later:)  ANOTHER THING:  If you order books online over Winter break, GET THEM SENT STRAIGHT TO YOUR SCHOOL ADDRESS!  I accidentally sent them home, and now I have to carry this HUGE load back with me--and I was already pressed for space in my luggage!  So keep my unfortunate case in mind!

I know I haven't been gone too long, but being home is such a throwback.  So much so, in fact, that my friends and I went to see The Princess and the Frog last night--yeah, the new Disney movie.  IT WAS SO GOOD!  Just like the good ole' Disney classics of our childhood.  Complete with musical numbers, trippy seemingly acid-induced scenes, scary bad guys, and jokes that go over the heads of the little ones but keep the parents (and college kids, alike) interested.  I'd recommend it to anyone!

Here's the trailer:

Enticing, no?

As per usual, you can email me at shireens@gwmail.gwu.edu--hit me up with any questions you could ever possibly come up with!  GW, Disney, or otherwise!!!  (I'm incredibly knowledgeable on both of those topics!)

~~~ Shireen

Happy Holidays

Just wanted to drop in and say I hope everyone has enjoyed their Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or any other holiday you may celebrate.

This is a time for happiness, families, and joy and I hope you all remember that.

Let me share with you a cool gingerbread White House.  This is an annual tradition in the President's home calling for the head pastry chef to create a White House replica made out of edible treats.  This one is a gingerbread house covered in white chocolate.  Of course it features the First Lady's vegetable garden and the famous first dog Bo.

Maybe next year I will be able to go to the White House and help decorate the national Christmas tree.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Kim

Snow

Hi again,

So as I mentioned last time, I'm home here in Little Silver, NJ, where it has just snowed about two feet. Last night, through this blizzard, my family was celebrating my brother's graduation from college. I was happy that many of the guests still came despite the pretty heavy snow and bad driving conditions. Upon waking this morning, I could not believe my eyes when I looked outside. We haven't had this much snow since the big storm of 1996, which everyone on the east coast remembers as the worst storm of recent memory. Take a look at my house:

My neighbor, who went to Georgetown and lived in DC before settling here, was telling me about her experience with the storm of '96. Washington was pretty much shut down, not only because of the snow, but because the budget hadn't passed so the federal government wasn't operating. Let me also say this: the thing about DC is, when it comes to snow, they don't know how to handle it. It has snowed every year the past 4 years, and I've never seen a plow. I guess somehow it makes more sense for them not to have one, but it snows every year and every year the city shuts down because the roads are terrible. 1996 was no exception. The roads were so snowy people were cross country skiing down them. Another one of my family friends who lives in Maryland told me her story from 1996. She was living in an area in Washington DC at the time, and one night during the 1996 storm she went skiing from bar to bar in Adam's Morgan (a neighborhood in DC with lots of bars) and people would buy her drinks when she came in with her skis. She even thought the photograph of a lone skier that made the cover of the Washington Post the next day could have been her skiing down Connecticut Avenue.

This year, snow just as high as in 1996 covers the streets in DC. I made it out before the storm, as did one of my roommate. My other roommate, however, was not so lucky. She is stuck in DC and waiting for the airports to open or trains to start running or something to happen so she can get home to Maine. While she was waiting, she took a picture of the street below our apartment building:

The city gets so crazy when it snows, I wish I were there to experience the fun, but I have my own fun here. As someone said last night, as you become older, snow kind of becomes an inconvenience, which is true. Your car gets plowed in. You can't drive anywhere because the roads are dangerous. It's too cold to do anything besides stay indoors. All those things are true, but snow is also when you can go sledding, build a snowman, build an igloo, or just look at how pretty it makes everything. To me, snow is still the best thing about winter. Whether covered in white, glistening snow or not, I hope everyone enjoys winter break!

--Abby

The White House and Other GW Holiday Traditions

Hello all! I hope everyone is doing well and if not already finished with school, almost done. I am home now in a snow covered NJ, which is very exciting, but my post concerns a little visit to the home of the Obamas.

On very foggy Monday morning of last week, two of my friends and I were able to go see the Christmas decorations at the White House. I've taken a tour of the WH before but never around the holidays. They really go all out with the decorations (obviously, it's the White House!), and I was very impressed. I think one of my favorites things was the Wishing Tree. They had a cardboard tree with holes in it and had guests write down a wish on a piece of paper, fold it, and put in inside the tree (see Greta and I in front of the Wishing Tree left). I won't tell you my wish or else it won't come true, but I think I my wish was a good one.

Another one of my favorite holiday decorations was the White House made entirely out of white chocolate, complete with a dark chocolate figure of their dog Bo.  Photographs lining the walls showed past Presidential Christmas cards, as well as past gingerbread versions of the White House or other DC landmarks, like the Washington Monument.  As good as the white chocolate White House looks, I bet it would taste even better--I wonder if Sasha and Malia get to eat that...

Our little stroll up to the White House was a great break from finals. I was so happy to get away from the craziness that seems to take over during the last few weeks of the semester. The music of the live orchestra that played while we gazed at the beautiful decorations added to the wonderment of the whole experience. I really enjoyed myself and just wish it could have lasted a bit longer than the half-hour we had. Easy access to things like White House tours is just another bonus to being a GW student and residing just 7 blocks away.

Also this week some of my friends celebrated the start of Chanukah. My good friend invited several of her friends over for latkes, which were absolutely fantastic. One of my friends came late to the latke party because she had been helping set up for the free Chanukah dinner. GW's Hillel puts together a free dinner for the first night of Chanukah for students. We ate them right out of the pan with a bit of  apple sauce, yum. Whether on campus or not, there's always a celebration somewhere.  A few nights later I was studying with my same friend and she had a Dukin' Donuts bag with her. When I asked about why she was eating donuts, she told me that jelly donuts were a traditional food at Chanukah, which I did not know. My endeavors into Judaism were well worth it for the food! Whatever holiday you chose to celebrate, you can find friends to share in the traditions.

Happy Holidays!
Abby

Because I'm already thinking about next semester...

Hello from the Blogosphere!  I'm snowed in tonight as a result of this huge Nor'easter coming my way, so as promised, here’s why my second semester is gonna be kinda sorta off the hook:

           

First, my awesome classes:

Survey of Western Art II (1700 - Present)

Islamic Political Thought

Zoroastrianism

Principles of Economics

Intro to International Affairs

So I’m really only excited about the top 3 classes, but how fun do they sound?  Maybe they only are super cool to my brand of nerd, but you have to admit that an entire course dedicated to the relatively obscure religion of Zoroastrianism (Wikipedia it) is pretty crazy.

Secondly, I got an internship!

            I’ll be working on Capitol Hill in the House of Representatives!  My internship is with Congresswoman Nita Lowey, my representative from New York’s 18th district.  THE FIGHTIN’ 18th!!!

Third, I get to buy intern clothes cause I’m an intern now!

            And who doesn’t like intern clothes?  I know I sure as hell do. 

Fourth, idk I think I’m out of reasons.  I’m just excited.  Methinks it’s gonna be a good rest of the year!

Don’t forget, any questions about anything and everything, send them my way!  shireens@gwmail.gwu.edu

<3 Shireen

Home Sweet Home

While finals wrap up at GW I headed home from New Zealand for a Chicago Christmas.

As some of you may have heard DC is preparing for a huge snowstorm tonight into tomorrow.  For some reason, there were finals scheduled on Saturday (this is not normal).  I believe these finals have been cancelled due to the predicted storm.  This type of weather does not happen very often.  Never in my two years at GW university workings have only been affected twice by snow.  And even then the university reopened at 10 AM.  This gave the city and the university enough time to put sand, yes sand on the streets and sidewalks.  For all of you from non-snowing places, sand does not do much to snow.  While it helps with traction, it does help melt the ice, like salt.

Update: I am talking to my friend and he said the weather report has been changed from 12 inches to up to 20 inches.

If you are on the East coast please be careful and stay warm!  Whoever asked for a white Christmas is getting their wish.

I will leave you with a few pictures from Queenstown and Auckland New Zealand.

Queenstown, New Zealand (where a lot of the Lord of the Rings were filmed)

Bridge I bungy jumped off of.

Auckland Sky Tower

Kim

Fall 2009: Check!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009.  Today will go down in history as the day I finished my first semester at GW!  And what a ride it’s been.  I can’t believe I’m 1/8 done with my college career!  (don’t make fun, that’s a big step in my mind!)  I have mixed feelings about going home, and the pros really don’t outweigh the cons, or vice versa.

Being home for a month with no real obligations is definitely a plus.  Eating my mama’s cooking, getting laundry done FOR ME, being with my family and home friends and my adorable puppy!  His name is Sonny, isn’t he a sweetie? 

With all this though, I’m gonna miss GW, DC, and my amazing college buddies.  It’s so weird that I have two groups of friends that I’m SO close to, but they’re in different spheres, you know?  And there’s little crossover.  Though my goal is for my home friends to meet my school friends and I’ll have one big happy family!  heh.  We’ll see how that goes.  I’ll keep you updated on those developments.

It’s taken me a while to get used to GW/DC life, and now I’m gonna have to become re-accustomed with home life!  Whatta cycle.  It’s gonna be a weird experience.  I’m excited to come home, but next semester is gonna be SO AWESOME!  Ok, now I’m getting ahead of myself.  Guess it’s time to sign off.  More on why Spring 2010 is promising to be an amazing semester will come at a later date.  Now I’m gonna go apply to some junk.  Internships, that is. Oy.

So if you’ve got any questions about GWU, DC, or anything, really—gimme a holler!  You can email me at: shireens@gwmail.gwu.edu

Catch ya on the interwebs!  (i swear i mean for my posts to be somewhat cheesey)

<3 Shireen

Finals, Break and Transit

So this is my first blog post-- it feels kind of strange but hopefully (the Hatchet's editorializing notwithstanding) my experiences on going to school inside the proverbial Beltway will help any prospective and incoming GW students get a better idea of what our lives are actually like.
Speaking of the Beltway, for those who don't know it except as pejorative for the Federal Government institutions in the District of Columbia and its environs, I'm talking about MD-295-- the major artery connecting Baltimore to Washington. You might know it on those green Department of Transportation Signs as the "Balt-Wash Pkwy."

And man, do I dread that road right now.

Like many GW students, I have to pass through New York City to get home (I'm from Morris County in northern New Jersey). Last year, as a freshman, I thought there was no way the trip could be that bad-- after all, it was just five-odd hours on the bus and then another hour at most on the (somewhat questionable) Dover Line train home, right? It turned out to be pretty bad, so here's some advice from a veteran of the multi-stage budget commute:

1. Don't Overpack: take what you need and only what you need. For me, that's my laptop, charger, planner for break, food for the road, and clothes-- like most guys I don't have too much in the way of clothing, so I do have to take a grocery bag full of t-shirts, socks and other stuff.

2. Research your route beforehand: this Thanksgiving I tried going back by the Greyhound line (I'm cheap, and it was $5 less than the bus I'd used before). Luckily I left early enough to get to the bus depot near Union Station--what I didn't know is that traffic around that area is heavy in the mornings and hampers even pedestrian travelers like me.

3. Bring Entertainment: for me, usually a newspaper isn't enough (I can only take so much Rich/Krauthammer before I get fed up). Consider catching up on reading or even talking to other passengers on the bus. Last year I met a family who took the thing all the way up from Georgia to Manhattan for Christmas-- and that sure put my travel in perspective.

One thing I will say GW has over a lot of schools is our location; when it comes to travel, it's hard to beat our metro-side location. That means headaches in the morning when a clique of commuters keeps you from getting to class on time, but it's something I've really come to appreciate when traveling.

I guess I've gotten a little ahead of myself-- got to study for my World History final tomorrow. Make that #4 above-- remember to prioritize. As "Slick Willie" admonished my parents in '92: "Don't stop thinking about tomorrow."

Adam Humayun

Great News and Goodbye...

I am almost a graduate of The George Washington University.  (I say "almost" because I have one last final to take tomorrow afternoon.)  I can hardly believe it.  It has been an incredible three and a half years.  I am so proud of myself and everything that I have accomplished and I am even more proud to say that I have a degree from such a great school. 


I started blogging my sophomore year, and this too has been a great adventure.  I have loved logging my life and all of the crazy and wonderful things that happen to GW students, and I have really enjoyed hearing from prospective students who have read the blogs. 


I am excited to say that I was offered and accepted my dream job as a Management Trainee with Velocity Sports and Entertainment in Norwalk, Connecticut!  I couldn't be happier, and I definitely feel like it is the perfect culmination to my college career and the perfect start to my "real life."  The job search process was definitely a lesson in patience, persistence and, most of all, confidence.  


I'm heading home to St. Louis on Thursday for the holidays, and then I'm off to start my new job, in a new place, with new people, new challenges and new adventures.  It is so weird to be closing this chapter of my life at GW, but I am so excited about all of the opportunities that are ahead. 


Best of luck to all of the prospective students - keep reading the blogs and reach out to the bloggers if you have any questions!  


-Jamie

Finals!

Hey there! Sorry I've been incapacitated for a little while, I had a horrendous flu bug last week and was pretty much out of it. Not only did it suck being sick, but I missed the last day of classes :(

Luckily, professors as GW tend (at least in my experiences) to be pretty understanding and were willing to meet me outside of their regular office hours to go over the exam reviews.

Well, I have 3 classes down, one more final to go! Exams started on Friday and go through this whole week, so PJs and Starbucks coffee cups are the norm around campus.

Gelman Library Starbucks

I can't believe that the semester is just about done, but at the same time, I cannot WAIT for a three week break from classes, work, and internships.

On another note, CONGRATS TO EARLY DECISION ACCEPTED STUDENTS!

Make sure to pay attention to deposit deadlines and such!

Vickie

New Bloggers

Happy Holidays Everyone!

As our bloggers are busy studying for their finals, I am writing to inform you of some new faces that shall appear on this blog very soon.  We have eight new bloggers that will be joining Abby, Vickie, Chanelle, Jamie, and Kim.  Their names are Paul, Matt, Adam, Serena, Ekiria, and Shireen.  They will introduce themselves within the next month as they finish their finals, go home for break, and return for a new semester.

I hope you enjoy reading about their experiences throughout the next semester.

Have a great winter break!

Arturo Carrillo
Assistant Director

Preparing to go home...and my homecoming list

We are in the final strech of this amazing adventure.  Tomorrow we head to Auckland from Queenstown and then home in 3 days!

As I look back on this semester I cannot help but think that study abroad should be required for all students!  While I know that is impossible with the economy and other factors, as I have said before, it is an experience that cannot be overlooked.

However, I am super excited to get back to Chicago and then on to DC to finish up my junior year.  I have a planned list of things to do once I get back to GW.  If you are heading there too you should check out at least a few of them...

1) Take a midnight monument tour to the Lincoln, WWII, Washington Monument, and the White House- This is my normal route for a mounment tour at any time of day.  Sometimes I like to switch it up and add the Korean or Vietnam memorials and if I am up to walking a lot more I will go to the Jefferson and FDR memorials.

2) Order a chicken ceasar pita at Pita Pit- This is some of the best food on campus.  Made to order with almost any add-on you can imagine.

3) Read a paper copy of the GW Hatchet- for 5 months I have been trying to keep in touch with happenings at GW by reading the online Hatchet.  I must say it is not the same as holding a newspaper in class.  Plus the crosswords aren't as fun.

4) Spend time on the 4th floor of the Marvin Center- I have missed my student organizations so much since going abroad.  I cannot wait to get caught up with Student Global AIDS Campaign, Voices for Choices, and the Student Association.

5) (last but certainly not least) Visit with friends I have not seen since May!- I have so many stories to tell everyone and I can't wait to get a chai at Starbucks and explain my adventures!

Thanks for reading guys!  Again, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to email me at kwollner@gwmail.gwu.edu.

Next time I blog I will be in the States!

Kim

Congratulations...

to all who have been accepted under Early Decision 1.  Your stresses are done and now you have time to think about all of the cool things you will do the next 4 years at GW! (don't gloat too much though...I'm sure most of your friends are still stressing about applications.)

Can't wait to see you all in the Fall!

Kim

Here and There and Back Again

Hello it's me again. I bet you're probably wondering where I've been and why I haven't updated in so long. Am i right? I hope you missed me because I'm backkkk and I'm about to tell you what's been going on.

First of all, my stupid laptop just stopped working all of a sudden. Seriously! Out of nowhere the wireless connection just stopped working and I could not get it to work anywhere. Not the library. Not my room. Not in the classrooms. Nowhere. So I took it to ISS (STS)* and for some mysterious reason it worked in their office every single time. :( After the first time of taking it to get fixed, I went back to my room thinking it would work. Nope. I took it FOUR TIMES and it still didn't work and I was getting pretty frustrated explaining my situation over and over. I think I need a new laptop. :[

In response to Abby's post about study space, I just wanted to make a few comments here in my entry. First, is that unfortunately Gelman library aint big enough for the both of us. Ok, so maybe it IS big enough for both Abby and me, but come the week before finals and actual finals week Gelman Library is PACKED with a capital P! It is sooo packed that people are sometimes sitting in the halls and classrooms. Quiet areas turn into not so quiet areas. People are having group meetings in the hallways because they couldn't book a study room (yeah, you have to make a reservation for them now. You didn't have to do this last year)! More than once have I heard someone complain that it is just not big enough to accommodate all the GW students. I think it definitely needs a renovation. I think they are working on that. Hmm....

My second comment in regard to Abby's post is that I was at Duques the other day trying to study for finals. I walked in and the security officer told me it will be closing in 15 minutes. I looked at my cell phone. It was 5:45. Wait ....What?! What happened to closing at 2am? Nope. Apparently, that didn't apply yet. (I'm guessing it only applies the actual week of finals?? I'll have to update you bloggers on this when I find out). The building closed at six that day and I was extremely disappointed.

In other news, I actually have to log off but I will definitely update you bloggers soon (I promise this time) about how my finals are going.

Classes are over! YAYYYAYAYYAYYA.

ALSO, my 21st birthday is this Sunday (the 13th). I'm superrrr excited. I'll have to tell you guys about it. =)))

As always, if you have any questions about ANYTHING email me at chabow@gwmail.gwu.edu

- Chanelle



*ISS Student Technology Services (STS) is part of ISS Technology Services, a division of Information Systems and Services. STS provides technology support for the GW student community. (It's FREE).

Study Spaces

While life here at GW may not be as exiciting this time of year as Austrailia (awesome pictures, Kim!), there is still a ton of stuff happening on campus. In fact, the first snow of the year was this Saturday!!! Too bad it didn't stick. I also went shopping this weekend to pick up a few gifts. My friend is turning 22 tomorrow (she's so old!) and my group of friends and I are participating in a holiday gift exchange tomorrow too. I also have a work holiday party tomorrow afternoon--so much to do!

But for now, I'm at the library. I have a paper due on Thursday and I'm trying to get a head start on it. That got me thinking about all the study options we have here on campus. There is of course the golorious Gelman Library on the Foggy Bottom campus. With a Starbucks Coffee in the first floor open 24 hours on weekdays, there is no reason to go anywhere else to study! Floors 1,3,4,5, and 6 are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so there is always some where to study.

We also have the Burns Law Library. While undergraduates are not allowed to study here during finals, it is pretty easy to study there during the year. It's a lot smaller and quieter than Gelman and full of law students! (The GW Medical School also has a library, but only Medical School students or School of Public Health undergrads are allowed in there, and they are pretty strict.)

The Marvin Center basement computer lab is open 24 hours a day as well. During finals, Duques Hall is open until 2 a.m., as well as Columbian Square inside the Marvin Center and the 4th floor student organization offices and meeting spaces, which are open until 7 a.m.

The Mount Vernon Campus also offers additional study space. The Eckles Library, open 24 hours during finals, has 25 cent hot chocolate and coffee if you bring your own mug. They also do a lot of promotions during finals, providing students with free peanut butter and jelly or free cookies and milk at midnight for late studiers.  The dining hall, Ames, is also open 24 hours during finals as well as the GDub Java coffee shop located right next door. I personally like to go to Eckles to study sometimes just to break up the monotony of studying at Gelman and get some fresh air at the Mount Vernon campus.


PS I'm in Gelman right now and someone just came around with a try of free baked goods, how could you NOT want to study here?????

Now, to get to that paper......

--Abby

Pictures as promised

Skyrail over the Kuranda Rainforest

Sunset over Airlie Beach

Rainbow Beach

Sleeping koala at the Australia Zoo--Home of the Crocodile Hunter

The most Easterly point of Australia

Hope you have enjoyed them!  I will be back one more time before leaving the country.

Kim

Last Undergraduate Class!

Well, I'm done.  With classes, that is.  Today, I had my last day of classes as an undergraduate.  It is a crazy feeling!  Yes, I still have four finals to take next week, but now that classes are done, the hardest work is over.  I'm going to spend a lot of time studying this week, finish my finals early next week, pack up my apartment and leave to go home next Thursday!


But FIRST, I'm leaving tomorrow to go to Connecticut for a job interview on Wednesday morning.  I've been through a few phone interviews with this company and I am SO EXCITED that they invited me in to meet them on Wednesday!  The job is a management trainee position with a well-known sports and entertainment marketing/sponsorship consulting agency.  They work with some of the most influential players in the sports/entertainment sponsorship arena, and their trainee program is an excellent opportunity for me to learn more about the industry and put everything that I have learned in the last three and a half years to use! It's THE job that I've been aiming for since the beginning of my job search, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that the interview goes well on Wednesday. 


Hopefully my next post will be news about a job...


P.S. A great article that was published in GW Today last week about the etiquette dinner that I went to (see my last post) -- check out the article here.


Jamie

I want you to STUDY ABROAD!

So as I said last blog, I am now back in Sydney for a few days then off to New Zealand.  My trip in Australia has been everything I could have hoped for and more.  I made great friends, traveled all over the country, and made great memories.

As my trip comes to a close I suggest that you all look into where you could study abroad.  About 70% of GW graduates study abroad during at least one semester during their tenure.  It is an amazing opportunity to see another part of the world and gain some new experiences.  Your options are limitless.  You can go to Uganda, Ireland, Russia, Australia or somewhere new!  GW will help you through the whole process.

Now I know you are all a bit preoccupied with getting your college applications done and read, and studying abroad seems so far away, but let me tell you that it will approach a lot faster than you think.

Check out the study abroad website and just explore a little bit.

I will post a blog with just pictures soon...the internet at McDonald's does not want to work for me. :(

Kim

Still Traveling

Hey everyone!  I am writing from Byron Bay in New South Wales Australia.  I have been a little out of it with no computer and things, but I do know President Obama and family were recently on campus to see the Colonials play Oregon State.

I do not have much time on this computer, sorry this is so short. I will update you on my travels when I get back to my apartment on the 3rd.

Keep an eye out on the Hatchet.  I hear they are going to be writing an article about these blogs.

Enjoy the last part of the semester!

Kim

Home for the holidays!

Happy (Belated) Thanksgiving!

Or at least, I was for a couple days! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! Mine was great, and the break was definitely too short, especially in comparsion to how much work I have to finish this week. Papers, exams, big assignments, all due this week. Hopefully I make it to Friday, since it's my birthday!

Anyways, one of the things I LOVE about DC is that getting to the airport isn't a hassle (usually, as long as I'm on time :) ) FOr flying home to Milwaukee, I always use Reagan National Airport. It couldn't be easier- hop on the Metro stop right on campus for the 15-20 minute ride directly to the airport!

Regean Nat'l Airport (with DC across the river in background)

Also available for students trying to get home for the holidays are Dulles Int'l Airport (in Chantilly, VA) and BWI- Thurgoog Marshall Airport (in Baltimore, MD) which are a little more difficult to get to but definitely still doable, especially since you can find really good deals at BWI for those flying farther.

Map with 3 airports: Dulles on left, Reagan lower center, BWI top right

In addition, those living on the east coast have additional options, like a train or a bus.

Union Station, Washington DC

Not only is Union Station a great tourist attraction, shopping center, and historical building with an awesome food court (best place to go if everyone in your group can't agree), it also can get you home for the holidays by Amtrak!

Bolt Bus leaving DC

Another option I mentioned is the bus. Having taken it this summer from DC to NYC for a friend's 21st  birthday celebration, it is definitely a viable option. With WI-FI, outlets, and fares starting at $1, if you don't mind it taking a little longer to get home, Bolt Bus would be my recommendation, especially if you just want to get away to NYC for a weekend.

~Vickie

Choosing a Major

I have been recieving a few emails from readers about the Political Science major and program.  I love my program because of all of the opportunities I have been exposed to by internships, events, classes, and everything.

However, I did not apply as a Political Science major.  I applied to GW as a Communications major and decided to declare Political Science instead.  A lot of you are worried about being dedicated to one major from the start of day 1.  You d have an opportunity to change your major and even your school if you need to.

No one officially has to declare their major before their sophomore year.  Up until that point you can explore different departments in your school or transfer to another school if you are leaning in another direction.  While you have these opportunities, I would not take them lightly.  Changing schools can be a hassle and can add an extra year of college if you do it too late.  Just be smart about these types of things, but know that you have room to move.

Turkey Day, College Style

Hello out there,

Happy Thanksgiving! I had a lovely weekend and am now gearing up to go home tomorrow!!! I am very excited to see my family and to eat some home cooked meals! However, like me, my friends love Thanksgiving so we like to have a little home-cooking right here at GW. Since my Sophomore year, my friends and I have gathered to celebrate Thanksgiving together before all going home.

[This isn't really our table. We're in college! We don't have that much time on our hands. Why do you think I'm excited to go home?]






To me, it makes sense. When you are away from your home and your family, GW becomes home and your friends become your family, so why not celebrate together? We all cook or buy something to contribute to the meal, and we go all out. I'm talking turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes, green been casarole--the works.

The past two years have been a time for all of the people I worked with in summer 2008 to get together. The Visitor Information Program, or VIP for short, is a summer program through the GW Undergraduate Admissions Office where students live and work together in the Admissions Office and as tour guides. There were about 20 of us in 2008 (2k8) and we get together every so often to catch up--especially around the holidays. Last year we had Thanksgiving at our friend's apartment and almost all of us came (except those who were studying abroad) and enjoyed a huge feast! This year, my roommate and 2k8 alum, Spencer, and I hosted. Although not as many people were able to come, we still had a lot of food and fun! I made mashed potatoes and bought cranberry sauce. We had turkey, two types of stuffing, mashed sweet potatoes, candied yams, and my friend Emily's specialty, corn pudding (which sounds kind of weird but it's really actually very good). We, of course, had pumpkin pie for dessert and spiced cider. Yum! We all had a great time and it just puts me in the mood to go home and eat more Thanksgiving goodies!

It's a dreary day here in DC and I can't wait to go home tomorrow afternoon. My friend from high school goes to American University so we are driving home together, as we have the past two years. I'm lucky enough to have a group of friends who like holidays as much as I do, and we have some great traditions, even beyond the holidays. Wherever you end up, I'm sure you'll find friends with whom you'll make your own traditions!

--Abby

Prime Protocol

On Tuesday night, Morton's The Steakhouse hosted a business etiquette dinner for selected GW seniors.  I was honored to be part of the group of nine students that were chosen to participate in this program.  We spent the evening at Morton's enjoying excellent food and service and learning a great deal about dining etiquette. Our Morton's hosts were extremely generous and made us feel very welcome. Morton's etiquette program, entitled "Prime Protocol," was recently restarted, and the dinner for GW was only the second one that they have hosted.  The plan to do a similar program for USC students in California, and perhaps a dinner for Georgetown students sometime next semester.

We learned a lot of useful tips, tools and rules for business dining.  Did you know that it is acceptable to eat asparagus with your fingers unless it is being served with a sauce on it? Before Tuesday, I would have cut my asaparagus, but from now on I'll be eating my spears as a finger food! 

It was such a privilege to attend this event, and I am sure that the etiquette tools that I learned will be put to good use in the future!

GW seniors with our Morton's hosts

-Jamie

Reunion

So this weekend was great. So great in fact that I cannot seem to find the motivation to do any work this week.

Well, what was I doing? I met up with a group of my friends from my abroad program in Sevilla, Spain. It was so great to see all my friends and catch up with everyone. My friend and I borrowed my roommates car and drove 5 hours to Penn State University (She and I both go to GW and were in the same program). We met up with four of our friends who attend PSU, along with two of our friends from Indiana, and two friends from New York City. The group of us had a nice dinner and hung out for the weekend, reminiscing about our amazing experiences in Sevilla.

After the long drive home, I looked through some of my pictures and got to thinking: how can I get back to Spain?  As a senior with no real plan, I'm seriously considering teaching English abroad for a year or two. There are so many options out there though, how can I narrow it down? After a few Google searches, I realized that I would need some more help. So, I decided to email the Career Center.  They have a specific position devoted to work abroad. I emailed him and set up an appointment to discuss options for Spain and a few other countries. I have yet to meet with him but I am sure the appointment will be very helpful, and while I'm there I plan on bringing my resume by for a little help too. There are a lot of programs and jobs and things that I'm interested in applying to and it's always important to have an up to date resume.

It's so nice to have a place on campus to help out with such a big decision. I may not know exactly what I want to do next year, but it's nice to know that there's a place that can help me with whatever I decide.

--Abby

GW Today, Newspapers and Other Sources...

Last week in an interview, I was asked, "how do you get your news?" and I honestly had to stop and think about all of the places that I catch up on the news every day.  When you live in the epicenter of some of the most critical news in our nation, it is important to always know what is going on.  I live about 5 blocks from the White House which means that the news is sometimes happening right around the corner from my apartment.  

Here's a list of the best ways to get news on campus:

• The GW Hatchet is GW's student newspaper that is published twice a week.  You can pick it up in print pretty much anywhere on campus, but I have it delivered to my email and usually read it that way. 
• GW Today is a new online news source that can be found on the University's website. 
• Obviously, you have television news.  I usually turn on CNN in the mornings when I get ready to make sure I'm caught up on anything that may have happened while I was sleeping! 
• The GW Reads program provides free copies of the New York Times, Washington Post and USA Today in every residence hall.  I try to grab a copy of the Post on my way out the door to have with me throughout the day. 
• The School of Business has free copies of the Wall Street Journal available to School of Business students - another paper that you're likely to find in my tote bag on any given day. (Who says newspapers are going out of style?!)
• Lastly, when I meet my group project teams in the lobby of Duques Hall or if I'm passing through on my way to class, the television screens are almost always tuned to CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, etc...so I can get a quick glance at what is going on in the world. (You'll find TVs tuned to news channels in the Marvin Center as well.)

As great as it would be to have an hour every day to read the papers and watch the news its just not likely to happen for most college students, but as you can see there are a ton of ways that students can get news throughout their busy days! 

And for this senior, the only kind of days I have lately are busy ones! I just got back from another weekend in New York.  I spent Thursday night and Friday in Connecticut where I visited with friends and had a job interview at a small PR firm in Norwalk, CT.  On Friday afternoon, I went into New York to attend the Advertising Women of New York (AWNY) Career Conference.  College students from business and marketing programs all over the country gathered at the Fashion Institute of Technology on Friday evening and all day Saturday for the conference.  We heard from top executives at several agencies and had the opportunity to attend workshop sessions on a huge variety of topics in the advertising industry.  It was an excellent experience! 

Now another week of school and work before I head home for Thanksgiving next week! Countdown to the end of my undergraduate education: 32 days!

-Jamie

Co-ed Housing the way of the Future?

As I was looking through the latest issue of the GW Hatchet, I came across an interesting article about the Student Association getting ready to introduce a bill supporting co-ed housing opportunities.  Currently, GW housing programs only allow single sex rooms in co-ed buildings.  This means, that other for Strong Hall, the only single sex dorm, all housing buildings have co-ed floors.

Changing policy to allow students to request the opposite sex as a roommate is not unheard of these days.  I read an article about University of Chicago testing out new policies to allow non-freshmen to request roommates regardless of sex.  These policies are created for those who simply want to room with a guy or a girl as well as for the LGBT community.  It would negate any regulation restricting transgender students.

GW Senior Vice President is on record saying GW is not investigating any change in policy.  The Student Association bil will simply show support for research and change, but not force the university to take any action.

We will see if this changes in the next few years.  It is an interesting concept, and has been tried at other universities like Syracuse and Brown.

Kim

PS: there is also an article about Early Decision Applicants in the Hatchet if you want to check it out.

Something Cool

Hey there!

Wonder why I have a picture from Grey's up? Read on!

Just wanted to quickly share something we here at GW thought was pretty cool... on the newest episode of Grey's Anatomy this week, they mentioned G-Dub! I'm not quite a rabid fan of the show, but some of my friends who are were watching together and said they shrieked when they heard it. Apparently, Kim Raver's new doctor did her residency at GW Hospital. Good to know that the writes of Grey's have such good taste! Maybe I will start watching more....

George Washington University Hospital

Here's a link to the episode on Hulu, the mention comes at about 6:58....

Well, more to come later, just wanted to share :)

Vickie

Just Another Saturday Nite

Every so often, I have a moment where all I can say is "Oh G-Dub".

This past Saturday was one of those. As I was working on my thesis

last Sat. nite (which was due on Tuesday! All done- yay!) I took a five minute break.... that stretched into thirty... checking out facebook.

Bad plan, I know. As I was perusing the stalkerish news feed,

I noticed that almost all of my GW friends' statuses were some

variation of "Christie is watching CSPAN"... So of course I check it out and

discover that the Health Care Reform Bill debate was going on and that they were expecting to vote sometime that night. Needless to say, I spent the rest of the night watching CSPAN and semi-working on my thesis.. which explains why I was awake most of Monday night/Tuesday morning finishing it up... but that's another story :)

Only at GW would so many students willingly stay in on a Saturday night to watch CSPAN to watch the House of Reps debate then vote on a bill. Students here are definitely politically-aware, and with good reason. Our location in DC makes G-Dub a magnet for political speakers; for example, just today H Street right in the middle of campus was shut down by Secret Service because Michelle Obama and Jill biden were speaking in Lisner Auditorium in honor of Veteran's Day.

Like I said, all I can say is, Welcome to DC!

Vickie

Procrastination at its Finest

So, to prevent working on my take home exam for my policy analysis class, and before I watch How I Met Your Mother (you should watch it if you don't already...) I have decided to share with you the wealth of GW twitter. 

As most of you know or use, twitter is a viral service that basically takes the Facebook status and creates a social networking site for each user.  I started my twitter account less than a year ago after doing a lot of research on social media for my internship last Spring.  Since then I have found friends, celebrities, and yes GW using the new service.  Right now, I follow 12 twitter accounts associated with GW: @GWWomensRugby, @Sustain_GW, @gwhatchet, @OurGWSA (the GW Student Association [student government]), @watchgw, @GW_cig (a new student organization of campus called Colonial Impact Group), @GWtweets, @ColonialCal (a comprehensive calendar of submitted student organization events), @GWGeorge (the spirt programs), @GWToday (a university released publication), @GWPB (program board, the main programming council on campus), and finally @GWFreeFinder.  All of these help me stay informed about the happenings on campus even across the world.

I would suggest that if you have a twitter, or are thinking about starting one, search for GW and see what you find.  You might find an organization that you are interested in investigating, or an intersting facts about the cheer team.  Who knows, maybe in a few weeks you will see a GW Admissions twitter.  (I will keep you posted on that one.)

Kim

My Application

As most of you are in the process of looking over applications and polishing up those essays, I wanted to share part of my GW application.  As most of you know, every applicant has to write a "why GW" essay.  This part of the application is meant to express your interest in GW and why you want to attend.  My essay, although written about 3 years ago is still very applicable to my life at GW.  I hope you enjoy.

     My first true exposure of the GW community was when I was a part of the Sibling Colonial Inauguration   program.  This showed me the wonders of the GW campus, as well as the Washington, DC atmosphere.  I saw that the entire campus, though very spread out, maintained a sense of community and pride.  Every student walking down the street seemed to have a positive air.  They were happy to be a part of the GW family.  The program also showed me the wonders of the nation s capitol such as the monuments I had only seen in books.
    Since my CI adventure, I have been out to DC to visit my sister one on one.  While there, I sat in on a class and I was amazed at the amount of knowledge in one room.  The class was based on the problems and possible solutions in Africa, a topic I have never really been exposed to, but never the less, I was able to understand the class.  The way in which the information was presented was more than a typical lecture.  There was participation, laughter, and plenty of writing.  That classroom shows me that not every college is as generic as the others that I have visited.  GW holds diverse classes, not only in the sense of topics, but with the people that take them.  There are people on every side of every debate, and this fact will help me to open my mind to ideas and concepts I would never fathom.  Another classroom aspect that attracts me to GW is the technology resources.  The online notes, lectures, and other programs will help me learn in a way which is best for me.  I will be able to rewrite notes if they are lost, study even if I miss a class, and ask questions outside of the classroom.  The classes of my college education are the most important thing to me.  I am not going to school to have a good time; I am going to school to elevate myself to a higher level of my own life.  The classroom is the bull s eye to my college target.
    The first ring to my target is the campus and its community.  At GW I would be able to find a close-knit feel in residence halls and activities.  The dorms at GW are amazing.  They are not the typical college dorm room in my eyes.  However, my liking of the dorms does not have to do with the physical attributes.  I appreciate that dorm floors almost become a family.  Having a sense of family seven hundred miles away from home is important to me.  The activities offered at GW are also appealing to me.  I have always wanted to be a part of a radio station, an a cappella choir, and a political activism organization.  GW will allow me to be a part of all of these and more.  I cannot image where else this is possible.  GW holds an appreciation for every difference among its students.
    The city of Washington, DC has put me in a state of wonder for years.  On one corner there will be a protest, and on the next a counter-protest.  This is the city that I wish to jumpstart my future.  I want to be thrown into the rapid world of political activity.
    GW would be an amazing experience to remember for the rest of my life.  It is my dream to one day sit on the White House lawn waiting to receive my hard-earned diploma.


Kim

Halloween Weekend!

Hello everyone!

I've been totally MIA lately and I apologize. October has been verrrryyyy busy for me with midterms, soccer, and the like. Let me recap my weekend for you a bit.

It, of course, was Halloween weekend and like most college students, I had a great weekend. Our weekend began early on Thursday night with a little get together at my apartment. We finally had a housewarming party--4 months later! Better late than never I suppose. Friday night I had a soccer filled evening. My intramural co-ed soccer team, Sporting Von Wolfhausen, played in the two post-season games, and won them both! We then went on to play on Sunday night and won in a real nail bitter! We have made it to the finals a few times and have never won so it was so amazing to win for our senior year! Here's a nice little picture of us in our champions shirt!!

On Saturday, I ran some errands in the morning, including visiting Comcast to return some equipment (oh, the responsibilities of living off campus) and Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch of the DC Public Library for some research for a paper (oh, the perils of writing a 25 page paper). For Saturday night, my friend and I dressed up as Army girls and a bunch of us went to a few of our friend's places. We had a pretty early night but it is always fun on Halloween to see some of the crazy costumes. I think my favorite was my friend who dressed as his Facebook page! He had a marker and a wall you could write on and everything. My other friend dressed up as Medusa. She wore a green, flowly dress and even tied rubber snakes into her hair. She wore green tights and painted her nails bright green too.

On Sunday I relaxed in the morning, played in our championship game, and then did a lot of work in the wonderful Gelman Library. Luckily, our library is open 24 hours. I went up to the 6th floor, got into one of those wonderfully comfortable red chairs and sat down to write for a few hours. I got all my work done--for Monday anyway!

Hope everyone had a great Halloween! Stay tuned for more on being a Senior at GW!

--Abby

What does "GW" really stand for?

I know what you're thinking: "GW stands for George Washington...as in The George Washington University...DUH!"

Well, yes, you're right.  You'll notice that we're all very clever with sticking a "G" in front of all words that begin with "W" such as GWorld, GWired, GWellness, GWork, etc...life as a GW student is filled with dozens of "GW-isms."

As a GW School of Business student, GW also stands for Group Work.  As a senior, I have a group project in every class this semster and I've become an expert at working with my peers, setting up meetings, working through GoogleDocs to get projects done and presenting with my project teams in front of my classes.  While it was a difficult learning tool to get used to early in my undergraduate career, I have now mastered the art of working in a team.  In some classes, I have been allowed to choose my own group and in others groups were selected by the professor. This semester I have had a wide variety of group projects from writing an event plan for a professional sports team fan dinner to an extensive case study about Whole Foods. Sure, there are sometimes problems.  There are group members that don't participate, group members who free-ride, group members who are too bossy, but it always gets done, and each project is an opportunity to gain experience in working with different kinds of people.

In addition to academic projects that require students to work with their peers, we also have a lot of opportunities to work with teams in co-curricular events.  This year, the School of Business will be hosting the first ever Battle of the Beltway case competition sponsored by Deloitte.  GWSB juniors are forming teams of four to compete in this case competition which will be hosted at GW.  They will be competeing against teams from Georgetown, American and Howard.  I'm sure that GW will be represented by some excellent teams, and hopefully we will win the inaugural Battle of the Beltway!

GWSB Students in class in Duques Hall

Class projects and events like the Battle of the Beltway case competition provide students with an excellent opportunity to develop strong teamwork skills - a highly marketable skill for internships and jobs. Trust me, professors aren't kidding  when they say that you'll be working with teams after college!

On another note, Halloween was a blast!  I went to a costume party on Friday night and saw a lot of really creative and funny costumes!  On Saturday, I went to a farm and pumpkin patch in Maryland with some of my business fraternity brothers.  There was beautiful scenery, carmel apples, a corn maze, hay rides and lots of pumpkins!

Butlers Orchard in Germantown, MD

Hope everyone had a great Halloween!  I can hardly believe that it is already November and the end of my time as an undergrad at GW is getting closer... yikes!

-Jamie

G-Dub Volleyball Digs Pink & Basketball Preview

This past Friday night GW's women's volleyball team hosted its annual "Dig Pink" night to raise awareness for the fight against breast cancer, wearing special pink jerseys.

This season, I haven't missed a home game for the volleyball team, but it's not just because I'm a fan- I have special incentive this year, because my freshman sister is on the team :) That would be her, third from the right. Here's the link to the match summary, they beat Temple university in 3 games, so it was a great night.

My roommates and I have practically become the teams official cheerleaders... maybe we should get some pom-poms? Oh wait, we already have them haha :) We've had a lot of fun cheering on GW and showing support for our volleyball team. Only 2 more home games to go, so cross your fingers!

Three of the six freshmen on the team.        

My Sister and I after the match.

Speaking of GW Sports, this post wouldn't be complete without a mention of our basketball teams. Since we don't have a football team, our school comes together every year in support of our mens and womens basketball teams. If you want to see GW spirit at its best, stop in at one of our home games. Just the other weekend, we had our annual Colonial Invasion, our big basketball season kick-off,

whose theme was "Are You Buff Enough?",

featuring performances by Capital Funk, GW's own hip-hop dance crew,

Chi-town Bucket Boys, a Chicago based drumming group that wowed the crowd with their fast paced and trick filled routine; Flipping Out, an Olympic style trampoline group that put on a routine that was nothing short of amazing; and the Rim Lockers, a trampoline dunking squad from Milwaukee that capped off their show by jumping over George, the Colonials’ mascot. Both teams also performed dance routines, to the crowd's surprise, although the women's team was interrupted by some technical glitches still being worked out in our newly renovated Smith Center.

Definitely a great way to get GW fans pumped up for the new season!

Vickie