Playing with your Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa Gifts

Happy end of 2010!!!  I don't know about you but I am always glad to see the new year reigned in.  It is a world-wide ceremony!!

As you waiting to ring in the new year I am sure many of you will be playing with your new electronics, showing off your new clothes, or using your other fun toys.  So I thought I would share a practical way to use the biggest gift of the year...the Kindle.  While I did not receive a Kindle myself, I helped my mom pick one out for my dad.  And because my dad is, well, (and I mean this in the best of ways) technologically challenged, I offered to take it to Starbucks, register it, download a book and teach him how to use it. 

Of course there are a lot of great books you can buy for your Kindle.  And not only is it convenient for you to have all of those pages right at your finger tips, but did you know you can download text books too??  Amazon has a whole store for textbooks and other common reading assignments.  Buying books through this site will not only be a lot cheaper than buying books in paper form, but you won't have to lug them from class to class!

There are also lots of free books on Kindle because they are so old. haha.  Copyrights only last for so many years in this country so Charles Dickens and other classics are $0.00!!!  I am all about the free stuff!

Hope I taught you something you new Kindle users!  And I wish everyone a happy and safe new year!!

Email me if you have any questions!

Kim

Need A Vacation?

Join me in Maui! Here's a glimpse of what I'm enjoying ... :) Hope everyone is doing well!



Aloha! We are going to a luau, or a Hawaiian feast, tonight- complete with food, dancing, Hawaiian music, and hula! I'm hoping to grab a lei and sit back with a big plate of fruit and relax. Thankfully we're not staying in a really commercialized area so I'm hoping that this luau isn't completely catered for tourists and done as a production. I'm hoping it's a little more authentic.
- Marisa

Goodbye Rain, Hello Sun!

Hi everyone! I am busy doing some last minute packing since we are leaving tomorrow morning for MAUI, HAWAII! It has been a long time since my family has taken a vacation like this so I am really excited to leave the light rain of Portland and head to 80 degree weather.

Portland airport

Map of Maui

I can't remember the last time I brought out my swim suit since I also spent this past summer abroad in Botswana, where it was winter from June-August. So I am very excited to finally hang out outside and read the new books I ordered for Christmas on my Amazon Kindle. If you're on the fence about getting one, do it! I love it because I read books really quickly and hate carrying them around. Instead, I have the tiny little screen and every book I want to read over the next week on it!! That's 6 books for me... :)

Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday!
- Marisa

An Unconventional Christmas

As I am mostly Jewish, Christmas is a great time for my parents, sister, and I to get together and relax- but make up some of our own traditions since Christmas is not our primary holiday. This year, since I wasn't able to make it home for Thanksgiving, I missed out on our usual feast of delicious Thanksgiving dishes. I suggested that instead we make it tradition to have a (second) Thanksgiving on Christmas, turkey and all! So today, my mom and I have been working in the kitchen preparing some delicious food for tonight.

Hello, gorgeous

My Favorite Thanksgiving Menu!
- Turkey.. duh
- Stuffing with chestnuts
- Green beans
- Sweet potatoes with marshmallows
- Roasted vegetables
- Cranberry sauce
- Gravy
- Martinelli's apple spritzer
- Pumpkin pie

So there is our unconventional Christmas dinner.. ham free! Our other Christmas tradition is watching the great movies that are free on TV. We're currently making our way through ABC Family's "Home Alone 2"... So great

Merry Christmas everyone!
- Marisa

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night! And an early Happy New Year!

This is brief, but I wanted to wish you all happy holidays, a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year (in a few days, that is)! I am finally back home in Wisconsin, but I am leaving later today for Florida with my family. So from extreme cold, to (hopefully) warm, sunny weather! I hope you all enjoy your time off of school, I know I already am! It has been nice to see some of my friends from high school.
Well, that’s all for today; I have to go make sure I have my swimsuits packed.
Christmas Fun fact: Did you know that U.S. scientists have calculated that Santa would have to visit 822 homes per second to deliver all the world's presents on Christmas Eve, travelling at approximately 650 miles/second?

-Christie

Still In DC

Well GW has cleared out for the Holidays and there are very few people left…and I am one of them unfortunately. Yes, I am still on campus but thankfully I leave later on today. Why am I crazy and still on campus on December 22nd? I was supposed to have two exams yesterday, with the last one ending at 10pm (which is too late for me to fly out on Tuesday obviously). Now I booked my flight home quite a while ago with this in mind, so when my professors for these two classes decided to be nice and move/change the format for the exams so the students would not have to stay until the 23rd, I was a bit annoyed. My stat exam, which was the one from 8-10pm, was moved to December 14th and became my first final exam. The other exam I was supposed to have yesterday was Criminal Law and that was turned into a take home essay paper and was due last week. Unfortunately, I could not change my flight to earlier because it would have cost too much money; plus I could only have moved it up one or two days because I still had an exam on the 20th (Intro to Physical Geography). (In case you are wondering, my other final exam that I have not mentioned was last Thursday the 16th- -Latin final).

It is like a ghost town around campus and in my dorm. Both of my roommates have already left as has most of my building. The only people I have actually seen on campus in the last few days was when I went to the bookstore to return the books I rented and I overheard everyone saying that they were leaving that day. So, here I am, listening to Christmas music and drinking hot chocolate, doing last minute cleaning and packing before I leave in a few hours.

Switching topics, this past weekend, my roommate and I went to the Downtown Holiday Market (just like fellow blogger Kim did). Last year I went with my sister, Vickie, who is a GW graduate and former admissions blogger. In all honesty, I have to say that the quality of the vendors was a lot better last year. Last year there were more vendors and there were multiple things that I wanted to buy but couldn’t because I did not have enough money. This year however, I brought extra money and had things in mind I wanted to buy and all I left with was a package of Christmas cookies (while these cookies were good, they were not the reason I went). Despite this, I still had fun. It is a cute little holiday market that helps me to get in the Christmas spirit. Here is the link for the market: Downtown Holiday Market Website
And here are two pictures to give you a better idea of what it looks like:

-Christie

Using Break to Catch Up!

Finally, I am relaxing at home in Portland, Oregon, trying to rest up from the hard semester I just got through. It's hard to imagine it went by so fast but that now there are only a few weeks before we begin again- back into the swing of things!!

While I am home, there were a few things that kept me from enjoying myself completely up until today. While I was able to come home last Thursday, which was relatively early compared to most people (my roommate just got home!), I had a paper due over email on Saturday and then a final on Blackboard on Monday. The paper had been a work in progress for several weeks so it wasn't too bad to finish and then the final was multiple choice and took me about an hour. Now that they're done, I feel like I need to find other things to do!!

This week, I am busying myself with looking at study abroad options for next fall as well as other student organizations to get involved with- both things I have been putting off because of finals and stress. I am applying to GlobeMed, a global public health student organization on campus that seems really active and fun. For study abroad, I am looking at some SIT programs where you take classes and then also do your own research project! There is a really cool program in Chile focused on community public health and traditional medicine which interests me. I'll keep you all updated!

For now, I am going over to a friend's house to roast marshmallows and catch up :) Hope everyone is having a good break from school and enjoying the weather, wherever you may be!

If anyone has any questions on life at GW please always feel free to email me at marisaw@gwmail.gwu.edu.
- Marisa

Pros/Cons of RateMyProfessors.com

So maybe you’ve just gotten into GW early decision and are jumping the gun in planning your class schedule… believe me, we’ve all been there. I am one of those overeager people who looks at the schedule of classes the day it comes out! But when there are several options of the same class to choose from, how do you pick a professor?

A lot of people I have spoken to use RateMyProfessors.com in order to get a better idea of the professors that teach at GW and their grading styles. While this can be a good thing, it also can lead you to expect a certain attitude from a professor or slack off because everyone said it was an “easy A” when in reality, it won’t be for you. I’ve compiled a few pros and cons of this website, please comment on the bottom if you have had experiences with it!

PROS:

- You can find out if the class has a midterm and a final with no other work or if it is a lot of busy work (depending on your preference, that’s important!)

- Sometimes you can find tips as to how to improve papers, as some teachers may favor students who come to office hours

- It can give you information on which teacher has taught that class the longest by looking at the dates and classes they have taught, so you can avoid taking an introductory economics class from a professor who has only taught graduate classes in the past

CONS:

- You have no idea who the people writing about these teachers are.. they could be huge slackers or enormous overachievers, and not comparable to you!

- Usually people who post there are angry about their grade, or about an interaction they had with the teacher

- A lot of the information is useless.. (“Teacher X is sooo hot!!” or “This class sucks.”) Well, that was helpful.. not.

In my opinion, the cons outweigh the pros. Instead, I spend my time googling the professor to see their GW faculty page. I’m more interested in their background and their research/books written than I am in how boring or hard the class is. Personally, I wouldn’t trust the people who review the professors online and instead I would stick to talking to your friends, or if you’re going to be a freshman, emailing us bloggers!

Questions? marisaw@gwmail.gwu.edu

- Marisa

Freshman Dorm Profile: Foggy Bottom

And now for the second part of my Freshman Housing Profile: the Foggy Bottom Edition!   Here are all of GW's 1st year dorms on the Main Campus, right in the heart of DC:

FOGGY BOTTOM CAMPUS

Thurston Hall:  Thurston is the quintessential Freshman residence hall, it houses about half our first-years.  Now you may have heard some crazy rumors about Thurston, but it's not as wild as some people will say it is.  I promise!  You get out of Thurston what you put into it, so you could treat it as just the place you sleep every night, or it could be the center of your Freshman year.  That being said, it's certainly a blessing for the social butterfly.  It's virtually impossible to come out of Thurston without a tight group of friends.  Rooms are pretty big, and they vary in how many occupants they have, from only 2 to as many as 6!  Most rooms are quads, though.  There are laundry facilities per floor, and the basement has a bunch of study spaces and common rooms.  Also, it's like, 3 blocks from the White House.  HUGE PERK.


Potomac House:  This house is largely occupied by ED1 students, it's most students' first choice.  The rooms are a good size but have always felt a bit narrow to me.  Rectangular.  But the building is new and the rooms are doubles, with private bathrooms per room.  Also, Carvings is on the first floor!  That's one of my favorite lunch spots--try the Harvard Wrap.  Centrally located on campus, so it isn't more than a 5-7 minute walk to most classes.


Madison:  I've never been in Madison, but everyone I know who lived there liked it!  There are doubles, triples, and quads, but most rooms are doubles.  There's also private bathrooms per room, and community laundry facilities of course.  Athletes often live here because it's close to the Smith Center athletic facilities, pretty central on campus, 7-10 minute walk to class.


Crawford:  Students live in singles, doubles, and quads.  Doubles aren't the biggest, but there are private bathrooms per room.  Laundry facilities are in the basement, I think.  Also, Crawford is right next to the Marvin Center, so if you want to grab a quick J Street meal, it's very easy.  Classes towards the E Street end of campus will be about a 10-15 minute walk, tops, but if you've got class in Phillips or Rome hall, they're a stone's throw away, so that's rather convenient.  Also, Gelman Library and Kogan Plaza are across the street.


For more information, visit the Living @ GW site: http://living.gwu.edu/
... or email me!  ShireenS@Gwmail.gwu.edu


~~~Shireen

Creative Gift Ideas

No matter what holiday you celebrate, DC has lots of creative ideas for gifts for family, friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, even pets!  I have taken this weekend to wrap up my Christmas shopping with making stops all around the city.

Yesterday a friend and I went to Metro Center for shopping at boutiques and other mainstream stores.  Our first stop was Lou Lou's Boutique.  My friend wanted to get a nice winter-wear gift for her mom and winter gear for herself.  We even found gloves with mitten cover plus a thumb slit so you can text in the cold!! so cool!

We also stopped at the annual holiday market right near the American Art Museum.  There I found two great pictures of the Lincoln Memorial to give to my boyfriend.  (He loves American history, especially Lincoln.)  Here is a link to the man who took the pictures.  There is nothing up right now, but maybe you can keep checking to see some great pieces of art.

Today I took a long walk around the city.  I started at the Freer Art Gallery to see an exhibit for class.  From there I walked up to Metro Center again stopping at Barnes and Noble to find a book for a friend.  And eventually ended up right back at the market.  I wanted to make one final stop of the day.  There was a Norman Rockwell exhibit at the American Art Gallery; paintings from the private collections of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg.  And I love Norman Rockwell.  So I wondered a little bit eventually ending up in the store where I picked up my final gifts for my family.  

For everyone else, I am giving my personal art work!  I have lots of bowls, cups, vases, and bottles that I made in my Wheel Thrown Ceramics class so I know my mom and aunts will appreciate the effort I put in to them.  It is like I am in 1st grade again, bringing home arts and crafts as my X-mas gifts. :)

that is the story of most of my gifts this season.  Also, for any last minute ideas threadless.com and the GWU bookstore are always great places to find something for everyone on your list!

Have a happy holiday everyone!

Kim

Building JJ, In All Its Glory

Like I have previously blogged, Building JJ is the eco-friendly dorm on campus that houses the green living and learning cohorts [see my blog links for descriptions of Building JJ and of LLCs!]. But lately, we have been surprised by some unexpected visitors who are not paying their rent…

JJ is so environmentally friendly that Foggy Bottom rodents have chosen it as their preferred residence hall! Woohooo! Okay, but in all seriousness, Building JJ has something of an insane mouse population that has come about due to the demolition of a building on G Street. They needed a new home, and I guess we looked welcoming. Think again!

Building JJ is now in a FixIt “state of emergency” over break, so facilities staff will be working on sealing up the holes where the mice are able to get in and find the little guys who have been surprising us every so often with a few droppings or a visit. While I haven’t spotted one yet, my friend Emma down the hall had the luxury of seeing one peep out of the top of her boot! Gross! Thankfully GW is acting fast on this issue and when we come back from break, our friendly mouse population will have most likely disappeared. At least it’s better than some of the rats that show up at night on campus. I’m not trying to freak people out, because what else do you expect in a big city? They can’t go live in the forest, unfortunately.

Questions? marisaw@gwmail.gwu.edu

- Marisa

Freshman Dorm Profile: The Vern

I've gotten a whole bunch of emails from new ED1 students asking which dorm they should live in.  My response was to read this post (well, it'll be in 2 parts), because I got too many emails to respond to everyone individually!  Also, the perfect residence hall is in the eye of the beholder, we're all looking for different things.  So here goes! 

ON THE MOUNT VERNON CAMPUS:

Living on the Mount Vernon Campus is a drawback for some, but others love it, and most grow to like and appreciate it.  It's a fairly quick shuttle ride from the Vern to Foggy Bottom, and shuttles depart from each campus every 15 minutes.  The Vern offers a perfect living situation for those who like urban life, but also want a space that isn't as overwhelming and a bit greener than the city.  There's a pool, tennis courts, a gorgeous quad with a fountain, and fields for various sports.

West Hall (The dorm formerly known as Pelham):  Pelham is really cool.  Yeah, I still call it Pelham for the most part.  But it really is cool.  It's the newest residence hall on either campus, and it's bright and shiny and has weird amenities that most schools don't have in their housing options.  For example, there's a brand-new fitness center, private study rooms, and recording studios and rehearsal spaces for anyone feeling artsy.  Rooms are singles and doubles, and there are kitchens and laundry facilities per  house, which I think translates to per floor.  There's also a dining  hall right there!  It's top-notch.

Clark Hall:  I was only in Clark once, but it was really nice from what I saw.  The rooms are doubles, with a bathroom shared between 2 rooms.  There's a kitchen and laundry facilities, and rooms are a good size.  It's located right by the main classroom building on the Vern, Post Hall.

Cole Hall:  I've never been inside, so my information is purely coming from the Living @ GW site (linked below), and what I know from the outside.  Cole is right next to The Vern's Eckles Library, so that's pretty convenient.  Like Clark, rooms are double suites with shared bathrooms between 2 neighbor rooms, and there is a community kitchen and laundry facilities.

Hensley Hall:  I've also only been in Hensley once!  It's a cute dorm, housing less than 40 kids, so everyone living there got pretty close over their freshman year.  Living options include singles and doubles with community bathrooms, as well as doubles with a shared bathroom between 2 rooms.  Hensley is also close to Eckles Library.

Somers Hall:  I've been in Somers a few times, and it's really nice.  It was built in '45 but renovated pretty recently, so it looks brand-spankin' new.  There are singles with private bathrooms and double suites with shared bathrooms between 2 rooms.  There are also study rooms per floor, and kitchens and laundry facilities.  It's also pretty centrally located on the Vern, near Ames dining hall and the Quad, near where the Vern Express stops.

Merriweather Hall:  Do not read beyond this point if you're a dude!  Merriweather is the all-girls option on The Vern.  There's a kitchen and laundry facilities, and only 43 students are housed there!  So it's tiny, but communal!

For more information on housing, check out http://living.gwu.edu/, some houses are "themed"--but that didn't exactly shape my experience.  I'd say there was about one event per semester in my Freshman hall that had anything to do with our theme.  So don't worry about that.

And as always, email me!  ShireenS@gwmail.gwu.edu

Peace and blessings!

<3 Shireen

The GW Issue

Following up on my previous post, I just ran into something else that would be cool for you to check out! Facebook is now the new way I find out about things, which is pretty unfortunate. But I was really excited to run across a student project that is brand new and up and running! Posted by a friend, I found out about the “GW Issue,” a new magazine spearheaded by some members of the Pi Beta Phi sorority. Because it’s in an online format, it was super easy to browse and an amazing work of collaboration between students. It looks so professional considering the editors are full time students!
Check it out here!!!!

Questions? marisaw@gwmail.gwu.edu

- Marisa

College Fashionista

Going along with my previous post on the legging epidemic at GW, I thought it would be good for some of you to investigate what’s “hot” on campus. There is a new website that has sprung up in the past year called College Fashionista, and one of my old roommates actually writes for it! They apprehend fashionable men and women on GW’s campus to snap a picture and talk fashion. Pretty cool, but mind you- there are still kids who go to class in sweatpants. While GW usually tries to keep it classy, especially since so many people intern or work and leave right after class, it’s hilarious to compare the view during finals as there is no stopping the overwhelming amount of clothes made from sweatpant material.

Check it out here!!!!!

Hope that gives you a better idea of not only what GW students wear, but of the weather we get on a normal basis! Questions? marisaw@gwmail.gwu.edu

- Marisa

Snow!

Well yesterday was the first actual and legitimate snow fall of the season. There was a day last week that had some light flurries, but seeing as where I am from (Wisconsin), I do not consider that to be the first snow fall, mainly because it did not stick on the ground. Yesterday, however, we received at least an inch and a half.

The fact that it really snowed yesterday made me a bit happier during final exam time (simply because it’s pretty and a welcome change from the boring, normal cold—now there is a reason for the cold—the snow!)

Here are some pretty pictures of the snow:

-Christie

The Survival of First Freshman Finals Week

Hello, world wide G-Dub web,

As I sit and write this, I'm currently two hours away from my last final, four hours away from the official end of my first semester of college, and 22 hours away from my flight back to JFK. This finals week has been a period of angst, rage, and distraction, but most importantly, reflection. I figured I'd give you some insight on what it's like to be a freshman experiencing this for the first time.

I spent Sunday night at the student theatre bi-annual prom; a dance they throw together at the end of the semester to celebrate the season -- the successes, the flops, the friendships, and the upcoming season that promises something more. As it was my first Student Theatre Council (STC) prom, I was very much unsure of what to expect, but the festivity was the perfect break from the chaos that is this week, and allowed me to step back and realize the tremendous community I've been welcomed into this semester. As the night winded down and we were eventually walking back to the late shuttle to Mount Vernon, I couldn't help but feel ridiculously lucky for being here, as I so often do, but also so excited that I have this place to come back to in the next few weeks.

Monday, my reading day, I spent with my head in books. I switched off between my Italian verb conjugations and my philosophy readings, and as my hours in self-proclaimed solitude ticked by, I wondered how students with more than two finals were possibly still breathing. After twelve plus hours of being a good student, I emerged from my study session down on Foggy Bottom at around two am. To my shock, there was snow! Here! In Washington D.C., which, for a New Yorker (as is everything below us), is "the South". The streets of GW were absolutely still as I padded fresh prints, that sound being the only thing resonating on campus. There have been few moments of that much peace here at GW, especially with all the commotion that's always taking place here -- ESPECIALLY during finals week. Just as I was getting back to the Vern, my floormate sent me a text saying, "Want to take a walk in the snow?" She met me outside the dorm, and we spent a half hour treading around the VERY silent Vern, breathing in the winter air and reflecting on how now that it'd snowed, we'd had the surreal realization that we actually do live somewhere else now. It was one of the most calming experiences I've had here thusfar.

Tuesday brought my first final, and I shoved as much last-minute studying in as I could before I ran off to Monroe for the first time. I could not get over how DEAD campus felt; the usual liveliness and hustle and bustle of Foggy has temporarily dispersed (unless, of course, you're trying to get into Gelman/bucks). After the final - which I survived, due to my over-studying - I met one of my best college friends at our usual spot for lunch, Au Bon Pain. We shared last minute stories from the Yule Ball on Sunday, talked about our plans for next semester, and how weird it felt to be leaving. I hugged her goodbye -- suddenly, three weeks seems like an eternity. I spent the night with my head in mind--boggling philosophy readings, only breaking to exchange Christmas gifts over a Christmas dinner with my roommates. 

Today, I got up at 9 am for the second day in a row to dive right back into studying. Time is moving extraordinarily fast today, as I had to say goodbye to my roommate two hours ago, and was overcome by how sad that was for me. I made her promise she'd come back to GW (which shows you how mindless this week is driving me), and although she's coming to visit my hometown before we come back to school, I actually felt my heart sink over the thought of being separated. It goes to show how much your roommates can become your family if you let them be. 

So here I am, two hours from the exam, having done literally all the studying that can possibly be done, and finding myself overcome by feelings of introspection. My advice for you when you're enduring your first finals week? Stay as focused as humanly possible, but DO give yourself breaks. Go to lunch with your friend, visit someone's dorm to watch a movie, take a walk in the snow till 2:30 AM, go to an STC prom ;) Just allow yourself those little moments with your friends before you're off for the first time, because, believe me, the separation comes as a shock at first. And above all, try to reflect a little. Whether it's superficial, on how you've done in classes, or a little deeper, on how you've changed in the past four months that have probably been the most unique four months of your life -- just try to look at yourself from the outside looking in for a moment. That way, you'll know what you want to be for the next semester.

I'm sure this is not the last time you'll hear from me over the next three weeks, avid followers, as I am thoroughly GW-addicted. Plus, I've been getting some really phenomenal emails, so keep those coming and I'll try to blog about them: gmdepalo@gwmail.gwu.edu. 

Godspeed to the rest of you still crunching through those finals; we sure need it.

See you around campus,

Gina Michele

24 24 in less than 24

Before I tell you what I spent my Friday to Saturday doing, I need to give you a little bit of background information. I am a huge 24 fan (you know that TV show that ran for 8 years with Kiefer Sutherland and is now apparently spawning a full-length movie) and have been for years. And last year, I got two of my teammates addicted to the show. During snowpocalypse 2010, we were holed up in one of their rooms, watching hours upon hours of it—and it was awesome. Most memorable week ever (but not only for this reason). I have seen every season, but the other people have not. We are currently in the middle of watching season 7.

24 Poster Season 7 (notice the location?)
[photo courtesy of http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20081204155843/24/images/7/77/Jack_Bauer_S7.jpg]



Now having said all of that, we decided to test our TV (24) watching abilities with a little challenge—watch an entire season, all 24 episodes, back to back. Our previous record watching as a group is about 6 episodes in one day. My own personal record is roughly 19, so I am trying to beat my own record as well. So, we stocked up on food, drinks, caffeine, and plenty of snacks, and got a good night’s sleep beforehand, in an attempt to prepare as best we could to conquer this feat. One of our other teammates who had never watched 24 before but had heard us talking about it often decided to have her first 24 experience and join us for this adventure. And, as a result, we converted another person into a 24 addict. We figured that since 24 is such an action-packed, exciting, and fast-paced show, it would be easier to accomplish this rather than with another show. We chose to watch season 4 in case any of you are 24 fans and were wondering which season we watched. It was chosen as the collective favorite among the group watching (all 4 of us).

We started our marathon at approximately 3pm on Friday and completed it at 10:30am on Saturday (we watched through the night, aka we did not sleep). Yes, you may say that we are crazy, but it was fun. And yes, 24 one-hour episodes back to back is a LOT of TV, trust me. We chose to do this from Friday to Saturday so that after we were done with the season, we could go to bed and recuperate all Sunday. And we chose to do this so close to final exam time because this is our only time that we really could since we have the month off from volleyball. It would be impossible to miss out on all that sleep during the regular fall season or even our spring season.

This may be the most random and ridiculous post ever, but I wanted to share with you how I spent my “glamorous” weekend—in front of a TV for almost 24 hours straight. I love college. And it was a nice break and distraction from the constant studying happening.

Lastly, CONGRATS to those of you who have been admitted through ED! Your hard work has paid off!

-Christie

Midnight Breakfast!

So last night was the event I was talking about in a previous blog...Midnight Breakfast.

As usual there was food, fun, and faculty!  I was served by two of the Admissions Directors!  The student performances were great!  The eating contests were fast! and the games were played!

It was a really great way to step away from the books and take a break to laugh and hang out with friends.

This year was the 25th anniversary of the Midnight Breakfast and to commemorate they brought out two HUGE birthday cakes. But that's not all.  During one of the A Capella group's performances a bunch of students, faculty, and staff started a FLASH MOB!  If you don't know what a flash mob is, let me explain.  It is when a bunch of people come together from all over a room or building or what have you to perform a coordinated dance.  They usually jump in at different points to go from one person to five to 10 to 50 and so on.  After the dance they all simply walk away as if nothing special just happened.  (kind of like every musical scene ever!)  Below is the video from the GW Flash Mob.  It is not very clear, but you get the idea...



Hope you enjoyed it!!

Kim

"The College Choice"

This weekend, I had a friend from back home come to stay the weekend with me. The fact that Molly was willing to take the five hour bus ride from Long Island for me was truly a feat in itself, and I always love having people to show the school I'm so in love with to. She basically let me run her all over campus without restraint for the weekend, but her one request was to show her American University, where she was applying. As I almost went to American and know the campus very well, I agreed.

On Saturday at noon, Molly and I caught the metro to get out to Tenleytown. Little did she know, I found myself nervous to go back to American, because this would be the first time I'd be seeing a school I almost went to since coming to GW. For the record, I can tell you all that no, GW was not my top choice. I was ready to sell my limbs for admission to Brown, where I was denied, along with my second choice of Tufts. I now had seven admissions and financial packages to go over, with no real direction. I went back to visit all the schools, and when I returned to DC, it instantly eliminated my other options as I knew it was the city I was meant to be in. It just came down to GW, full cost, or American, half-tuition paid. I'm not one of the lucky ones with federal financial aid, so I was looking at a pretty penny between undergraduate and my future graduate school. I knew, once I stepped on the GW campus for the second time, that it was the school. There was that feeling they always talk about, and I encourage all of you who ever experience what I'm talking about to grasp it, because that is probably the best indication you'll ever get. It was ultimately my parents who were able to tell me, we know where you want to be, and we know it's hard for you to admit that to us, so we will make that happen for you. And here I am, fairytale ending and all.

Going back to American, although scaring me to death, ultimately was everything I should've known would happen. I got back on campus and suddenly remembered it like the back of my hand, and gave Molly a tour. But as I went through the motions, "this is their dining hall, this is the poli-sci building," it became so clear to me that there was not any morsel of doubt in my mind that I did not choose the right school. I had loved American and it had almost sold me, and I honestly can't really pinpoint what made me choose GW over it, but when you feel it, you feel it, and you just need to ride that out.

I guess the purpose of this rambling self-reflection is that those applying to college now should know that when it's time for you to decide where you want to be for the next four years, more of it may go back to your gut than you think. Sometimes, the school you want is not the "best" choice, or the most "convenient" choice, or not even your first choice. But your collegiate future does not stop at your first-choice rejection. There is a second chance. These days, I don't even think about Brown, and going back to American was further proof that I could not imagine myself walking any other campus, giving any other tours, being in any other classes or theatre communities or dorms. When you're on "your" campus, you're going to feel it in your heart of hearts, and you need to recognize that enough to trust in it. It's terrifying to make the first real decision of your young life, but take it for all it's worth in knowing that you are now the master of your next four years. They can be anything you can dream up, as long as you are ready for them. To be the master of your own fate is easily among the scarier realizations I know, but it's also the most liberating. So talk yourself out of your terror, and let yourself make a decision that may not be the easiest or the most logical, but probably the most rewarding.

Congratulations to the ED applicants that will now be living the dream. We can't wait for you to join us. Any questions about college decision-making, get at me at gmdepalo@gwmail.gwu.edu. Emails are like crack for us ;)

See you on campus,
Gina Michele

Criminal Law Mock Trial

During the second last week of classes, my Criminal Law class held a mock trial of one of the cases we were studying at the time. All of the roles were filled with students, the judge, the victim, the defendant, the defense counsel, the prosecution, and the jury. I, personally, was part of the jury. In my opinion, it was one of the best class periods that I have had this semester so far. It was interesting to watch some of my classmates act out the trial, acting as these people. Of course at times they broke character and started laughing, which made it even more entertaining (even though the nature of the case is quite grim and not comedy material).

As for the class, Criminal Law, as a whole, I have found it to be very interesting (especially since I am most likely going to be a Criminal Justice major). Reading all of the court cases takes quite a bit of time, but most of the cases are very intriguing and the professor is very knowledgeable.

In my opinion, activities like these are what make college classes more enjoyable than high school classes (at least I never had a mock trial like this in high school).

-Christie

ThingsToDoDC.com

So I attended a Holiday Cocktail Fundraiser the other night at the French Embassy. The event was hosted by Things To Do D.C.: Experiences For Young Professionals." According to the website, it is the premiere organization for socializing and networking with fellow young professionals with 200,000 local young professionals. 

This was the first time I've been to the Embassy and it's absolutely gorgeous! It's the largest French Embassy in the United States and is located next to Georgetown University. Initially, I wasn't sure what the event was, beyond the fact that I needed to wear an evening dress (my friend invited me last minute). It was until I arrived did I realize it was a Monte Carlo themed fundraiser for the Children's National Medical Center in DC. I met a number of interesting people at the event including a manager at the World Bank and ran into a GW alum! It's interesting to be exposed to the lifestyle of a young professional, which I'm quickly entering once I graduate in May!

Congrats Class of 2015!!! And a message to all those who also want to join :)

Congratulations to the first round of early decisions acceptances! Your hard work has paid off and now you will be attending a premier national university in one of the arguably most powerful cities in the world. CONGRATS!

For those other readers still maybe on the fence about applying to GW, I encourage you to take the chance. The worst they could possibly say is no, and at least you would have that conclusion and not be fearful of the lost potential. I encourage you to apply and give yourself the opportunity to join our family. And hey, even if you don’t do your undergraduate work here, there is always Grad school. Keep that in mind.

Like I said, welcome to the family!

For those of you who will eventually discover that you have been accepted to GW and now have to make a choice, I remember that painful decision as if it were one I made only a week ago. I applied to 26 colleges and universities my senior year (and by no means would I do that again or encourage that) and was accepted to 24 of them. My decision was tough. It was between GW, Wake Forest, Davidson, UT Austin, Texas A&M and Fordham. In the end, I chose G-dub because of the amazing financial aid they offered. Although they had the highest initial tuition, it was actually cheaper for me to attend here than it was to go to UT (my home school) even with their Valedictorian scholarship of first year tuition paid. In addition, GW captured my heart because of the opportunities to work alongside and for the different governmental bodies and organizations that almost all have a headquarter in DC. DC is an amazing college town with beautiful nature surrounding the historical center of US power. How could I ask for anything else? The decision was obvious after a month of critical thinking.

 So I wish you the best of luck on your impending decision. It will not be easy and hopefully you don’t have to choose from 24, but a smaller list doesn’t make the decision any easier. If I can help you in any way, please help me, but I might be a little biased as I do hail from GW :) I hope you make the right decision for you.

Please hit me up with any questions. I would be more than happy to talk and will respond ASAP.

Peace, Love and Cookies

-Brandon Moore

brmoore@gwmail.gwu.edu

Food Cart Overload

I am diligently spending my afternoon in a Gelman study room (click to see my blog about them) studying for finals. On my way here, I noticed that campus is overrun with at least 5 food carts!!
Food carts are a huge new thing in DC and they are cropping up everywhere, but today with a RootsCamp conference on GW campus there is a massive amount of them. I tried to take a picture out the window with my MacBook just to show you some of the lines...

It's hard to see but look at the lines on both sides of the sidewalk on the left side!

Food trucks on campus now!! Run to get them! Here are their twitters if you didn't catch them and want to see where they are now.. some are going into winter hibernation soon so be quick! On campus now: wheresauca, sangonwheel, CapMacDC, dcslices, bigcheesetruck, TaKorean, curbsidecupcake


ENJOY! And congrats to our new readers who are officially Colonials from ED1!! Email me if you have any questions about campus life! marisaw@gwmail.gwu.edu
- Marisa

Congrats to All Our New Colonials!

Echoing Kim's most recent post, I'd like to extend a HUGE congratulations to the recently-accepted students for the GW's Class of 2015!

Early Decision 1 acceptances went out online yesterday, and students will be receiving their big pretty envelopes in the mail soon!  They'll be filled with information on housing, your GW email address, Colonial Inauguration (our freshman orientation), class registration, and all sorts of fun stuff!

This gives you even more reason to email me, because I'm sure you'll have questions galore about what your first year at GW will be like.  Actually, one girl who's been emailing me with questions just notified me that she's been accepted!  So this one goes out to you, Virginia!  Congratulations!

Can't wait for all of y'all to be among us next year, I'd love to meet you!  I'm big on mentoring, so call on me (or any of us bloggers) for help!  That's half of what we're here for.

Congrats again, and have fun NOT being frantic about college decisions in April!

(Insert clever joke about getting your foot in the door here!)

<3 Shireen

Georgetown Shopping Area

Every once in a while, I make a point to travel over the Georgetown area (not the school) since it is such a nice shopping area. It is also where I usually go and see movies (at the AMC Loews Georgetown theater), including the last two movies I have seen, Harry Potter 7 and Disney’s new movie, Tangled. On a side note, both of those movies are definitely worth seeing! I enjoyed them both immensely! What I like about this theater is its relatively close proximity to campus. It is only a 20-25 minute walk which isn’t too bad. Plus, it is a pretty nice walk to get there—passing the Watergate Complex and the waterfront area. I do not see too many movies while I am away in college, but I do make sure to see the ones that I want to.

Now back to the shopping. The Georgetown area has too many stores to name, including LuluLemon, Gap , American Apparel, The North Face , Adidas, Banana Republic, Barnes & Noble, BCBG, and Coach. Granted, it is probably not a great idea to go shopping here if you do not have some money to spend since there are so many great stores. I do not shop that often, but I do occasionally. Usually, I just window shop, which sucks, but whenever I go see a movie, I can’t help but walk past the stores and look around. In addition to all the shopping, the area also has quite a lot of places to eat so you do not starve while you shop. My personal favorites include Chipotle and Ben & Jerry's. Now, they do have nicer places to eat (like actual restaurants), but I tend to eat on the go while I am there.

In my opinion, the area is a nice place to go when you want to leave campus but not go to the National Mall.

-Christie

Congratualtions!

Today we welcome the first group of the Class of 2015!!!  Congratulations to all of you Colonials who were admitted Early Decision I!!!

On top of being a colonial, your college process is done!!!! I know you (and your parents) are really excited about that.

Letters are being sent out tonight so be looking in your mailbox for an exciting package officially accepting you into the university.

Stock up on your GW gear and relax for the holidays!

Congratulations again and WELCOME!!! Hopefully I will be around to meet a lot of you next year!

Remember, email me if you have any questions! kwollner@gwu.edu.

Kim

Not-So-Hidden Gems of GW

Today, a friend and I decided to meet up for lunch and I offered him the choice of place. Naturally, he chose the place closest so he roll out of bed for our meal together -- Carvings. I was somewhat embarrassed to tell him that I'd been at GW for four months and had never gone in there. While I enjoyed a "Little Italy" Italian sandwich, my mind wandered to a friend from home who'd visited GW and asked what our dining was like, since it seems we have so many options. So, for those curious about what GW has to offer to eat away at those $1,000 of Colonial Cash, here are some "not-so-hidden" gems of GW that are worth dropping by.

Carvings, to start, is nestled next to the underclassmen dorm Potomac. Fare is typical grill entrees; sandwiches, wraps, omelets, etc. The ingredients are pretty fresh -- I was impressed by the tasty tomatoes, as I'm very picky. The fries are delicious, I hear, and they bring in a turkey everyday to make fresh turkey and cranberry sandwiches, but get there before they're out. As expected, it's always filled with GW students, so you're likely to run into a familiar face (I saw a few friends while I was in there for only an hour today). The nice thing about it is there are a few booths, so it's a little cozier than some of the other venues on campus.

GW Deli is a legendary favorite on campus, but I had never understood why. I was encouraged as a tour guide to rave about it, but hadn't ever actually been aside. After being chided by a friend, I ordered a bagel one morning and was SO impressed; being from New York, I never get a bagel outside of my home state. The breakfast sandwiches are delicious, as well, and while you may catch a line that is out the door, don't worry - it goes fast. Stop by to figure out what they're all talking about.

Gallery Cafe is a usual stop for my roommates and I on our morning routes. After my 9:35, I know I can find my roommates in Ivory commons munching on a bacon egg and cheese sandwich from Gallery. It's worth it to try one. Fare is very similar to that of Carvings. If you're stopping by for lunch, go to the salad bar; it's by far the best salad bar on campus.

Thai Place may have to be the cream of the crop as far as dining on campus goes for me. I will admit that I am a Thai Place ADDICT, and can be found hovering over a plate of Chicken Pad Thai about once a week. Dishes are pretty delicious for the low price, and it is a full-service restaurant. If you are a first timer, you can't really go wrong; I of course recommend to go pad thai, but the pad sew is delicious as well, as are any dumplings/spring rolls. Even if you're not that adventurous of a diner, they cater to college students, so nothing too exotic to scare you off.

Last but certainly not least is Crepeaway, which is my absolute favorite place on campus. At the beginning of the semester we'd go down to this L Street gem a few times a week. Then we quickly got smart and started going less frequently to save our waistlines. Either way, the guys working still know us, and will smile at you when you order and they call your name. Serving both food crepes and desert crepes, this is a great stop any time of day. The desert ones, in my opinion, are far superior, and best at late-night. Try the Obama, and also find him on the wall mural!

Of course there are loads of other options, which is what makes dining at GW as unique as it is. What're your favorites? We're all a little biased. Keep eating well, GW, and check out some new spots - you'll be as pleasantly surprised as I was. And for anything else, get at me at gmdepalo@gwmail.gwu.edu.

See you around campus,
Gina Michele

My Own Personal Stress Relieving Activity/ Procrastination Tactic

So, last night I did not want to do any studying and was a tad bit stressed over finals which are looming over me and do you want to know how I decided to combat this feeling? I colored. Yes, I reverted back to my childhood and colored, but I didn’t just color anything, I colored a Beauty and the Beast coloring page (which I received courtesy of the Beauty and the Beast Facebook page that I am a fan of). I spent the better part of 30 minutes using my brand new colored pencils coloring in the page of Lumiere and Cogsworth. It turned out pretty nice if I say so myself. I then proceeded to hang it on my fridge like one would hang a good test score or something else they are proud of.

And because I am a good, considerate roommate, I printed out two more and gave one to each of my roommates and left it on their desks as a little surprise. And I am going to be even nicer and give you the link for the printable page on Facebook in case you want to procrastinate a little yourself as well. Enjoy!

Beauty and the Beast Coloring Page

Happy Creative Procrastination,

-Christie

Senior Class Events

Graduating from college is far from your minds since most of you are still applying for college! I do however want to touch on a few of the exciting events GW seniors experience when we're graduating. One of these events, hosted by the senior class committee, occurs tonight at a local bar where there will be having a happy hour ($2-$3 drinks, if you're 21+). While the event is aimed at celebrating the end of first semester classes and seniors graduating in December, it's also another opportunity for the committee to raise money for our senior class gift. The gift is to the Ron Howard Emergency Scholarship Fund which supports financial awards to full-time undergraduate students who are active in leadership or extra-curricular activities at the University and who have emergency or other financial needs that are not met through traditional financial aid. I can't wait to go to the event tonight to celebrate with my friends to close out the end of the semester!

Due to Popular Demand..

.. I present "The Leggings Epidemic" at GW. This is a video from last spring about spandex stretch pants. While this is a little rude at times to some unknowing passerbys who are sporting this look, maybe it will give you some insight into all the differing opinions on the GW campus :) Enjoy!



As always, emails are appreciated! marisaw@gwmail.gwu.edu
- Marisa

Volleyball Banquet/ Christmas Party

On Saturday, we had our volleyball team banquet/Christmas Party at one of the freshmen’s houses (she lives only 30 minutes away). So we loaded up the GW vans and drove to her house. After spending all of your time in the city, it is nice to spend a little time in the suburbs; and our team always loves to go to another teammate’s house. The home cooked meals are always amazing and we get a little glimpse into what their life was like growing up. After eating frozen dinners for the last few days, a warm, home cooked meal was like a gift from heaven. It was delicious and made me even more excited to go home to more home cooked meals (that I don't have to cook myself) in exactly two weeks.Within 10 minutes of arriving, my team was huddled around the snacks (the team in a nutshell—revolved around food). Soon we ate the actual meal, then we simply sat in her living room near the beautiful Christmas tree and laughed for about an hour. After working hard all week preparing for exams, it was nice to sit around and have a good time without worrying about studying.

Then, the other highlight of the event (besides the food) took place—the Secret Santa gift exchange. A few weeks ago, we picked names in order to create a more Christmassy feel to our party. I love Christmas parties; there is always an overwhelming sense of joy. People are almost always in a good mood, the food is great (as you can tell, I love food), and the decorations are jolly. Even though it is rough not being with family during the entire holiday season, there are plenty of things to do while in college to continue the holiday cheer (like Christmas parties, such as this one). I just wish I owned one of those “wonderful” Christmas sweaters…maybe I will buy one for next year’s festivities.


-Christie

Books To Move You

I thought I would put a little short list on here of a few good books I have read that have let me to my current major/concentration/etc. I am majoring in International Affairs with a concentration in Global Public Health, so basically I am interested in health development worldwide. I am on a pre-med track right now as I think it is most effective to plan programs when you know exactly how to help people, but that may change and I am open to whatever comes my way after graduation. I am definitely taking a few gap years even if I do end up going to medical school.

Half The Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn

Through stories of disadvantaged women worldwide and their climb out of prostitution/poor health/other issues to successful lifestyles and careers, Kristof and WuDunn help us see that the key to economic progress lies in unleashing women’s potential.

Kristof (columnist for NY Times) and WuDunn

Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer by Tracy Kidder

At the center of this book is Paul Farmer, a doctor, Harvard professor, infectious-disease specialist, anthropologist, a man who was brought up on a boat and in medical school found his calling to diagnose and cure infectious diseases while bringing lifesaving tools to those who need them most in Haiti.

Farmer in Haiti

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

This book is an account of one man's campaign to build schools in the most dangerous, remove, and anti-American reaches of Asia after finding a community on his failed K2 climbing attempt.

Afghan girls sitting in one of Mortenson's schools

Questions? Need more book recommendations? marisaw@gwmail.gwu.edu
- Marisa

Pancakes with the Provost

So today I rolled out of bed at 10:00 am, and walked across the street to have breakfast with GW's Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs Steven Lerman. No big deal. Just another wonderful perk of living on the Mount Vernon Campus (take that Foggy Bottom).

The Mount Vernon Campus in All its Glory

Once a month the provost and his wife Laurie Lerman host a pancake breakfast at their house across the street from the Mount Vernon Campus. Each month they feature a different guest chef to help make pancakes and enjoy pancakes alongside students. Last month I got to chat it up with Laurie Lerman, who plays piano, sings, and offers lessons to GW students, as well as the Dean of the Columbian College, Dean Barrett (in case you're wondering, she did have the blueberry pancakes haha). This month's breakfast feature Helen Cannady-Saulny the Assistant Vice President of Student and Academic Support Services for the university.

A (blurry) picture of me with Provost Steven Lerman, his wife Laurie Lerman, and Helen Cannady-Saulny the Assistant Vice President of Student and Academic Support Services

If you went to GW, these Gingerbread Pancakes could be yours...dare to dream!



Coffee, Tea, and Hot Cocoa

The entrance to the dining room

A less blurry picture Provost Lerman and Laurie Lerman in action!

This is an incredible opportunity to interact with the school's administration and give them the student perspective on the GW experience. I met a few new people through this event and got to learn about what other people are planning on doing after GW. You'd be surprised how focused our student body is on making an impact in the world (cheering in my head!). More than anything, its an warm and inviting environment to have breakfast on Sunday morning...especially if your mom is 3,000 miles away in California like mine is (ahhh). I hope this is a tradition that continues because I can eat A LOT of pancakes. And provosts are awesome too.

Ask me ANYTHING, I've been loving the questions: magalae@gmail.com

Also, I'll be posting pictures of SMPA tomorrow! Get excited!

Ekiria

Sickness during finals

Getting sick is the worst thing to happen during finals season. I was bed-stricken from Thursday until yesterday and am finally recovering from a terrible cold. This is one of the unfortunate results of living with roommates and being in the library/any study room for more than 8 hours! I've been fighting my cold by drinking tons of juices, popping vitamin C pills and vitamins, and continuously washing my hands. Sadly, my roommate is sick again and she left this morning for the doctor's because of a fever of 103 degrees!
One great resource when sick on campus is the Student Health Center. You can either book an appointment easily online or to call office--my roommate was able to see someone immediately the next morning. Student Health accepts a number of health insurance providers and you can even buy health insurance from the university! Aside from going to Student Health when sick, the center also administers immunizations and medications for students studying abroad
 For more information about its services:  Student Health Website

Stay warm everyone!
Serena

Freshman Recipe Book: Not Your Cheese

On to the next installment of Freshman Recipe Book!  In case you couldn't guess by my terrible title, this is a Nacho recipe.  The reason I'm not listing amounts for most of the ingredients is because you really just buy all of these ingredients in small cans, and layer as much or as little of each topping as you want.  Then save the leftovers for a future meal!  I probably put more jalapenos and cheese than your average person, while you may prefer a meat-lovers variety!  So have fun with it and add or subtract things to your tastes.

What you'll need:

Tortilla Chips

Refried beans

Canned jalapeno peppers or more mild green chilies

Sliced black olives

Shredded cheddar cheese

Diced tomatoes

Sour cream

1/4-1/2 pound lean ground beef--it usually comes in 1 lb. packages, but you could divide that up and freeze some for later use.

What you probably have already: a platter or large plate to spread the chips, a (microwave safe!) colander, microwaveable bowl that the colander fits into

The first step is "browning" the beef, so it cooks off all of the fat and it's safe to eat.  You can do this in the microwave by placing it in a colander (make sure it's ok to heat!) over a small bowl to catch the drippings--discard those after, they're yucky.  

Cook meat on high for 5 minutes.  Remove the meat from the microwave and break it apart a bit to make sure it cooks evenly, then return it for another 5 minutes.  You may need to repeat for another 2 minutes at a time until the meat is fully cooked, which you can tell when the juices emitting from the meat come out clear, rather than pink, and the meat's appearance is brownish grey.

Sprinkle beef over a plate of your favorite tortilla chips.  Using a spoon so you don't scatter or break the chips, spread dollops of beans on top of beef and chips.  The refried beans are pretty heavy and can often crumble the chips under them.  Layer olives and peppers over that, and top with the cheese.  Microwave on high 2 minutes or until cheese melts.  Add sour cream or diced tomatoes either on top or to the side, wherever you'd like!  

I also like to add a heavy dose of cilantro and maybe some chili powder and cumin, but that's not everyone's thing.  It's also not terribly practical to have a spice rack in a Freshman dorm when you're not cooking on the regular.

And that was another easy, delicious, and relatively healthy entree for your digestive pleasure!  Tell me what you think!  ShireenS@gwmail.gwu.edu

~~~Shireen