Liturgical Dance

Upon a request I've uploaded a video of the Palm Sunday Liturgical Dance.  It is during our dress rehearsal.

Starting Summer

Hey all!!  So, I wanted to give a quick update on my summer so far and I have some tips to help make it memorable.

Upon entering college, you make a lot of friends who live in many different parts of the US and Canada, and some might be in other countries.  It is hard when you get home because you can't just run down the hall or across campus to hang out with your friends.  So my tip to beat the summer blues when home is to stay busy.  Start your summer off by visiting friends from home and family.  You probably don't see them that much in college, unless they go to the same one.  Or you may have a job somewhere that is on campus, another state, or just time consuming where you might not have much time to see people later in the summer.

Another suggestion is to visit friends from college.  A friend and I last spent about a week and a half between my house in New Jersey and hers in Maine.  We met around 3 weeks after coming home and it was a nice pick me up.  I'm going to try planning another one similar to this for this summer.  The reason I can swing this is because I'm working at a Sleep-Away Camp again.  I love camping out so this makes my summer even more enjoyable.

So my tips condensed:

• Plan everything for your summer.  You will be less likely to have to worry about twiddling your thumbs at home.
• Do some reading and/or research.  This may sound too much like school, but on your own it can be fun!  I love pulling out my old notes and playing around with computer science code and learning new things about it!!
• Relax.  I slept for the past couple of days and it was nice but now I'm ready to start having fun!!
• Learn something new.  Develop a hobby.  I love crocheting and making friendship bracelets.  I don't have much time during school to do either of these, so I enjoy doing them in the summer.
• Clean out you college boxes.  Yes somethings you pull out because you use them on a daily basis but other stuff may stay their until you unpack at school.  You may then realize - Why do I have this?

So, I hope you enjoy your summer and make the most of it!!

Finals Week and Moving Out

So, my life became consumed last week with studying for my 5 finals.  But now I'm done!!  Yes, I did say 5 finals.  I took 4 and a half courses this past semester and each had a final exam.  I knew that was a strong possibility but I was still drained by the end of the week.  It felt so refreshing handing in that last final exam but I had a bitter sweet feeling because I was heading home for the summer.  In the end, it was a good thing because the day I got home, I got a head cold and I was happy to be able to sleep and not worry about anything. 

What do I dread most about the spring semester ending?  Besides missing all my friends this summer and the seniors?  Moving out.  It is one of the hardest tasks.  Moving in is easy.  You spend the summer packing and organizing everything into boxes.  Moving out, you throw everything where it fits.  You feel you car is over full and don't know how you acquired everything.  Well after my first year, I comprised some tips and suggestions which I found to work this year:

• Keeping all your moving in boxes and bags.  Either that or bring them back at Easter.  Packing clothes, small things, or taking pictures off your walls helps when the crunch comes to the last minute packing.  But how can you do this if you don't have what you need?  Collapsible cardboard boxes and bags fit easily under a bed or in a closet.

• Send stuff home earlier.  Who needs skis after spring break?  Ok, I know some people still do ski, but after two years, I haven't skied once after spring break.  If you think you might, then save them but I don't so I send them home.  This is the same for the warm sweaters and socks.  Keeping one or two is all you need.  After a week or two you won't even look at them again.  So, my point is, send stuff home you won't need for a month.

• Clean out your papers.  I don't know about most people, but I save a lot of the notes or letters from people.  Most of them are out of date before the semester ends  but they basically end up in a pile in the top my desk drawer.

• Start packing before finals start.  This may seem ridiculous or not even possible but taking pictures down, washing all your dishes, or placing all your dirty clothes in the hamper can go a long way in the end.  When it came down for my final crunch pack this year: my walls were almost bear, my clothes were almost all packed, and my desk was almost empty.  It gave me more time to pack larger things, like my mirror and lamp, safely and in less space.

I know this post comes at a little late of the time for current students moving out, but this wisdom was fresh in my head, so I thought I would share.  Happy Summer!!

P-Day 2012

So the past two weeks have been jammed packed and almost non-stop for me.  It is the end of the semester, final exams are starting, and I trying to enjoy the last bit of Sophomore year.  Hopefully I can get a few blog posts up in the next couple of days about the what has happened but this one is going to be about P-Day last weekend.

This past past weekend was Preparation Day, otherwise known as P-Day.  It falls the weekend before the study day(s) leading up to to final exams.  It is basically a carefree Saturday where St. Mike's rents bouncy houses and hires vendors to distribute tons food, all free to us.  Everyone turns out for this event.

Martin Luther King Society, otherwise known as MLK, starts the weekend out with a talent show.  Anyone can sign up to perform their talent.  A lot of amazing people turn out to perform.  This year there were singers, musicians, gymnasts, and dancers.  I ended up performing with Celtic Knights.

Beating Lauren on the bungee thing

The night of the performance I was so nervous.  Stepping out on stage, I was not prepared for the overwhelming number of people who turned out.  Well, I was because I attended last year in the audience, but I still wasn't.  We ended up doing amazing and the crowd went wild.  I'm so proud of everyone.  On a side note, after this amazing weekend I was elected next year's Vice President of the club!!

Photo Bomb!!

On Saturday I wanted to sleep in a bit so I could go all day but sadly the bright sunshine came through my window and woke me fairly early.  Oh well.  Being the klutz I am I sprained my ankle on the way to breakfast.  However, I didn't let that stop me from all the fun.

I met up with my friends around 1pm on the 300s field where everything was set up.  There was music, bouncy houses, and tons of food!!  I was super pumped.  I wanted to try everything.  I have to say, I just about succeeded by only missing out on getting a Henna Tattoo.

After being Photo Bombed we wanted a real pic

After all this fun, I went back to m room to take a much needed nap.  When I woke up, I again met up with friends and attended the Comedian, St. Mike's very own Kit Rivers.  She had a amazing turn out and an amazing show.  To end the day, just about everyone turned out for what is called Midnight Breakfast at 10:30pm.  Alliot served eggs and French toast, all the breakfast essentials.

It was a crazy, amazing day.  I have to say, once my head hit the pillow that night/morning, I was out.  It was much needed sleep and I enjoyed it.

Jammed Packed Weekend

The other night was a jammed packed night for me and a few of my good friends.  The day started out with beautiful weather and seeing many perspective students on campus.  I was so happy they had such a gorgeous day to see campus!!

My night started out with going to Vermont's Got Talent.  Our very own St. Mike's Senior, Caroline Bright, was MC-ing the night.  She did an amazing job!  My friends and I had gone out to support a friend of ours, Amanda, as she performed her rendition of Hallelujah.

Unfortunately she didn't win, but CONGRATULATIONS to another friend of mine, Rosemary, who did.

After seeing all the amazing performances, my friends and I attended the 2nd Annual VITA Girls Night Sleepover in the Chapel.  The whole night was a lot of fun.  We started off by each of us being "Princess" for a couple of minutes while we went around the room and everyone said something about the "Princess."  Next we had a small prayer service lit only by candles.  We finally ended the night (or early morning) by watching movies and eating a ton of ice cream. YUM!!  We ended up going to bed around 5am and then waking up at 8:30am to get out before morning mass started.

Crown Time!!

Laughing on the couches

The Lovely Group

I ended up heading back to my room and thinking I would go back to bed, but I ended up not.  My second wind hit and I decided to do homework and laundry.  Don't know why my productive streak hit at 10am on a Sunday morning?

In the middle of the afternoon, my friends and I headed over to Earth Fest run by St. Mike's Green Up.  It was a lot of fun.  There was free burgers, free Ben and Jerry's, and free live music.  There was also Tye-dying if you brought a shirt or you could buy one there, potting plants, and displays on how to make campus greener.  They did a great job and the event looked like a success to me.

Afterwards I began to feel myself crashing from lack of sleep, but my day wasn't over yet!!  I still attended 7pm Mass at the Chapel with my friends.  Then upon returning to my room I fell asleep really early (by 9pm) and woke up to the sound of my alarm the next morning.  It was a long weekend but I enjoyed every moment of it!!

Easter

Happy Belated Easter!!

I would have to say Easter is my favorite holiday.  When I was young, my family would drive to my grandma's for the the annual Easter Egg Hunt.  I was a fun time where all my cousins and I would hide in the house while my aunt would hide the eggs.  We would then leave in age order (youngest to oldest) and race out to find as many eggs as we could find.  I remember being super excited during the day and crashing really early at night meaning I fell asleep at my grandma's and woke up in my bed at home.

I will say even though I don't make it every year anymore, there still is the annual Easter Egg Hunt at my grandma's and I miss it when I'm not there.  Just like this year I missed it.  Being from six hours away I tend not to go home unless I have more than a four day weekend.  My dad and I talk about it every time and both agree every time that it isn't worth the travel home when I have work I could be productive on.  Generally a friend or two are on campus so I have company but this Easter no one seemed to be around.


I was especially grateful for my Family in Faith for inviting me over for dinner and making me an Easter Basket.  I was on campus for Friday and Saturday and wasn't too lonely.  I did get a bit fidgety on Friday afternoon when the power was out all day.  I did use that time to clean out my papers and catch up on some reading but I still became a bit stir crazy.  I debated on going to Burlington but I kept trying to convince myself to be productive.

Sunday was the best day of the weekend.  I got to see some of the community members I come to know over the past 2 years.  It was so nice to see families at mass and receive hugs from friends.  I even got to see a friend of mine and her family whom I haven't seen in awhile.  Mass at the Chapel was beautiful and I helped out by Alter Serving.  After mass I had brunch with my friend and her family and then went over to my Family in Faith.  I felt and overwhelming amount of love by receiving 3 Easter Baskets from different areas of my life.  I would like to say thank you to them for making me feel loved.

My Crocheted Easter Egg

It was so nice to see everyone come back to campus and hear how everyone's Easter's went.  Down to the final 3 week crunch before summer.  Hopefully I hear back from an internship soon!!

Palm Sunday

My last post talked about what I love about Campus Ministry on Campus and this one highlights an opportunity I was given from them.

I'm someone who has never taken a dance class in my life until this school year.  I started out with Celtic Knights and had tons of fun.  When this semester rolled around I was asked if I would be interested in joining the Liturgical Dance group and I was a bit hesitant.  I've never taken a real dance lesson before and I was nervous I didn't have enough skill.  I was convinced into it and I'm glad I stuck with it.

This opportunity gave me the chance to make connections with people outside of the school community and with other members of the worshiping community.  Practices were only once a week for an hour and a half which gave me time to still get work done and have a social life.

Our one performance was this past Palm Sunday and the Chapel was more packed then I had ever seen it.  I was impressed how many people drive from all over the state and NY to come out for this one mass.  To start mass the choir and dancers process around the Chapel waving palms while the priest fallows behind to bless everyone's palms.  As the Gospel was read, the Liturgical Dancers prayed through movement for everyone to see.  I can definitely say, there wasn't a sound from the congregation.  I personally couldn't look at anyone for fear of breaking concentration, but I can say from friends whom I talked to, it was one of the most moving experiences they have witnessed.

This was our representation of the Last Supper