Thursday, December 31, 2009

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

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

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

Friday, December 25, 2009

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

Sunday, December 20, 2009

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

Saturday, December 19, 2009

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

Friday, December 18, 2009

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

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

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

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

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

Monday, December 14, 2009

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

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

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

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

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).

Monday, December 7, 2009

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

Saturday, December 5, 2009

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

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

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