“I have learned the importance of understanding nature in creating manmade landscapes and how art involves politics, business, and economics, in addition to providing beauty and inspiration.”
Jennifer Sullivan,
Business Administration
November
November brought stresses of both midterm grades and midterm exams. Looking at syllabi and realizing that one test is 10 percent of your grade is enough to drive anyone crazy. Late night study sessions and midnight food breaks to West Lebanon with friends kept me sane throughout that stressful week. The cold weather setting in brought forth feelings of loneliness. Students tended to keep inside, rather than lay sprawled out on the quad reading their books in the afternoon sun. The days seemed to move along more slowly and were darker.
November also brought Thanksgiving, and a week of vacation. Looking around at faces on campus, I could tell that everyone was excited to go back home, see their families, and catch up with old friends they had lost touch with. There was so much work to be completed before Thanksgiving break could begin. I had so many papers, tests, and quizzes to prepare for, I couldn't even think about how good home would feel. On top of all the schoolwork, I had to pack up my room and the objects that I hadn't used since I got here. It was the first time I had to “vacation-ize” my room and it was nerve wracking having to unplug every outlet, lock the window, and remember to turn the lights off. Going home was different. Everyone had entered college scared and uptight, and we were leaving for the first time and heading home, completely changed from the person we were when we had arrived. It felt good to go home and be with the people I've grown up with. We all knew we'd changed, but we still did the same, pointless things we'd done in high school. It was hard coming back to campus, but I was anxious to share stories of break with my new-found friends.
November Tips
Make sure you let us see our friends over Thanksgiving break! We understand that it's a time for families, but it is also a time to catch up with old friends. They are important to us too.
Give us more freedom than we had before we left. Let us know around what time we should be home, but don't ask a million questions. Trust us. We're responsible. We're in college.
Send us a midterm surprise! We are all stressed out and it's important for us to know that people care about us. DVDs are always a good way to relax after long hours of studying. We love watching movies in our down time.
