Clark Diaries

I really need to write that paper.

                 This week, as predicted, is yet another hell week at Clark University due to the upcoming Thanksgiving break. I had a calculus exam earlier this week, I have a modern algebra exam on Tuesday which I have no chance on, I have a project draft due Monday, all on top of the usual weekly homework and responsibilities. I must say, my GPA is going to have a significant drop. My only hope for academic achievement this semester is to look forward to next semester. It’s pretty sad, I know. For those who do not yet feel sympathetic, here is as example of the fun stuff I’ve been working on (this is one of the easier ones).

I must say, this week was pretty dull. Nothing out of the ordinary really happened. I mean, I did register for the 2010 Spring Semester classes. Once one is no longer a freshmen/first-year the excitement for registration dies down. This is for one reason: Once you’re an upperclassmen (even if it just a sophomore) you’re practically promised the classes you want to take. Freshmen kind of get the bottom of the barrel picks L sorry. Actually, that’s only half true. One class I really wanted, Writing for Magazines was capped before my class even had a chance to register. No worries, I’ll take it another time. Anyway, my schedule for next semester is Media and Society, Aliens and Sci-fi, Culture and the News, and Communication Ethics. I’m more than pleased with this schedule.

Who’d ever think there would be so much work to be done on Halloween? Next to my birthday, Halloween was always the biggest holiday to me. I mean, they were both in the best month of the year. Either way, Halloween on this universities campus is always fun. On, Friday (10/30) O.P.E.N hosted their Annual Drag Ball. This is probably one of my favorite events on campus. Roles reverse, women become men, vice versa and Drag Queens take over Tilton Hall. Those Drag Queens were pretty sassy! It’s just some of the best entertainment one can enjoy. Early Halloween morning, I met with a few of my classmates to discuss our group project that was coming up for our communications class. One of them showed up as a cow. Quickly after, I met up with my buddy Nichole at Clark Social Entrepreneurship Club’s Fall Fest. CSEC are known for their Alternative Spring Breaks. This year they are going to Sierra Leone, Africa to battle the devastating Maternal Mortality Rate.

The semester is starting to slope to a close and I can’t believe that I’m about to study abroad. Even though I’ll be spending the majority of my semester at Clark’s Service-Learning Program in Cape Town, South Africa, I’ve been focusing a lot of my attention on the trip to Sierra Leone I’ll be taking part in before Cape Town. As I mentioned in a previous post, the trip to Sierra Leone is a Clark directed-study class in management, specifically focusing on social entrepreneurship. Because of this, in addition to working with a local nonprofit in Sierra Leone, my group has been trying to raise funds and awareness around campus. We have several events lined up including some bake sales, a Sierra Leonian-style dinner with typical Sierra Leonian food, art and performances, as well as a continued effort to educate ourselves and raise funds for our individual trip fees. Below is a photo of our group from a planning session we had this week. I’m so excited to begin!

Hey everyone! I’m back with more updates about my life at Clark. Well, I have to say that this week was full of activities around campus. As always I really try to go to all of them, but sometimes it’s just impossible to be in multiple places at the same time, even if I wished too.

 This week the Clark Community had the privilege to be able to participate in the International Journey. This event was organized by ISA (International Student Association) it was a success! It is an event in which students get together in Tilton Hall and prepare typical food from different countries all over the globe, to share with everyone else. I was so excited for the event, I loved it! Many of my friends had cooked different and exotic foods. I tried every single one of them and got to the conclusion that I’m in love with “empanadas” this are made of pastry by folding a dough or bread patty around the stuffing (i.e. cheese). It was an afternoon full of a variety of food and mix of cultures and colorful flags, representing the world.