Cats Are Out of Season- Because of "Dog Sees God"

Ben Jurney '14 as CB (Charlie Brown)
Photo Courtesy of Julia Cox '12

Brittany Perlmuter '13, Andrew Rousso '13, and Alison Schaufler '14
Photo Courtesy of Julia Cox '12

     Recently I went to another Skidmore Theatre production entitled "Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead." It was one of the most poignant and age relevant pieces I have seen in quite a long time. Directed by Margaret Smith '12 was a show based on the well-loved and classic Peanuts characters. Charlie Brown, Sally, Lucy, Pig Pen, most of the characters were there! What differentiated this show and truly made it note worthy was the material it tackled. The audience was set-up to feel as bystanders who were intimately involved in watching the lives of somewhat disturbed teenagers. The characters struggled with depression, sexuality, body image, and stereotype which made them relatable to anyone who made it through high school. Funny and tragic, this piece shed light on issues facing many young people. I would see it ten more times if I could! Overall, 6 out of 5 stars :)
Love always, Emmeline

CTM!

Dying of Laughter!

The Super Awesome ComFest T-Shirt!!!

This weekend was the 23rd National Comedy Festival which was started by a Skidmore alumn, David Miner, who is the executive producer for 30 Rock, and Parks & Recreation. He was a member of one of Skidmore's comedy groups, The Ad-Libs, which is still going strong today! The weekend was made up of a women in comedy panel, 18 college shows, and 3 professional shows. The college shows were made up of comedy groups from school's including Vassar, Yale, NYU, Brown, Emerson, Skidmore, George Washington, Boston University, and many more. I am pretty sure I was dying of laughter the whole weekend. The shows were a mix of sketch comedy and improv, and it was great to see students from all over come together and celebrate their love of comedy. I ushered the event which got me free tickets to all the shows, and an awesome t-shirt! I was unable to go to the event last year, but now it is definitely an event I would never want to miss! One of the most amazing parts of the entire weekend was that it was all student run! Skidmore students from the theatre department and elsewhere really stepped up their game and planned a smooth, tightly run Comedy Festival with no glitches. Check out this article from The NY TIMES (WOW!!!) that has more about the festival- http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/05/arts/national-college-comedy-festival-at-skidmore.html?pagewanted=all It was quite the celebration and left my abs hurting from all the time I spent laughing :)
Love always, Emmeline

Super Bowl Sunday!

Yesterday was quite the party at Skidmore. Everyone had on their Super Bowl apparel and the excitement was evident. I was rooting for the Giants and so I was ecstatic when the 4th quarter clock hit 0:00! While I spent last year in the dorms celebrating, this year I went to the town houses on campus to partake in Super Bowl festivities which included the world's best nachos and Buffalo wings from Wings over Saratoga. My stomach was incredibly happy! It was also nice to spend some time in an actual house. While I have loved living in the dorms, there is something about being in a house with a kitchen that's comforting. I'm sad the weekend is over because it means back to the real world. I have my first Organic Chemistry II exam next week and I am getting awfully nervous. I am really enjoying my classes though, and my professors are great. My Business professor owns Putnam Market in town which is awesome! I am actually off to go work on some Business homework, but next week is Comedy Fest so get ready for some great updates!!!
Love always, Emmeline

Weather, Athletics, School Spirit, HOORAY!

Me and Gab Before a Game!

The weather here has been very bizarre lately. Hardly any snow is on the ground, yet the temperature is quite cold. I don't know what to make of it!!! Tonight in the dining hall I saw boys coming in after playing tennis...not typical of Saratoga in January. Tonight, I would like to take the time to share my feelings on Skidmore Athletics. While we are division three, I have found that our athletic teams are great and it's quite entertaining to show up to their games. Men's hockey won their last two games and while it is very chilly at the ice rink, it's still a great time! Basketball is warmer as a spectator and those games are super fun as well. I always am amazed by how tall some of the players all. I honestly wish I was talented at a sport, but alas I am not so I have to settle by watching them. My favorite sport comes this spring...Lacrosse season! Woohoo! Lacrosse games are fun in the warm weather. Sitting on the bleachers, eating snacks, and watching talented athletes is quite the event. You can definitely expect me out there tailgating come the warmer weather! Anyways, I am getting super excited for the SUPERBOWL! It should be great and my friends and I are having a Superbowl party. I will be sure to take pictures :)
Love always, Emmeline

Back in The Swing of Things!

That's right...I am baaaaacccckkkk!!!! Woohoo! It is great to be back at Skidmore and see some old faces as well as new ones (many people are coming from the first-year London program and other study abroad programs). I have started classes and they all seem really great. I am most looking forward to my business class- MB107. It is one of Skidmore's most popular and well known classes. It is special because of a project, called the executive presentation, where students are assigned teams and they must pitch an idea to executives about how to increase profit for a company. We will find out the company that we are "working" for on February 8th and I very excited! Organic Chemistry II has commenced and the good news is that I made it through one semester so who says I can't make it through a second semester? I am confident that I'll get through it. While it's great to be back, the weather has been foul. There's not too much snow, but the temperatures are low and there is a sheet of ice that makes walking to classes a little difficult. Luckily they are putting salt on all the walkways, but that always ruins my shoes. I'll take ruined shoes over a broken back though! I hope all is going well with you all and that your 2012's are off to a wonderful start.
Love always, Emmeline

The Countdown Begins

My father, me, my sister, and Lauren up in the mountains with my father's most recent bear!

6 more days till I head back to Skidmore!!!

This break has been incredible. I went to California, spent time in the mountains, caught up with old friends, made new friends, but I can't deny that I am looking forward to getting back to Skidmore. This next semester is going to be academically challenging, more so than last semester, but I am looking forward to everything that I plan to learn! I am also looking forward to the various activities I plan to participate in. I am excited to help out the Skidmore Theatre Company, and I would also like to participate, again, in Skidmore's Student Government Association! I have big plans for next semester so it's hard not to be excited to go back. I also have New Year's resolutions to complete. I would like to do weekly yoga as a form of stress management, I would like to branch out and continue to meet new faces, and I would like to work hard to accomplish things this semester that I can be proud of. I look forward to updating you all on my endeavors this semester :)
Love always, Emmeline

The Top 5 Reasons I Applied to Skidmore

This is the list of the 5 reasons I chose to apply to Skidmore J Enjoy!

1.      Liberal Arts- I am a firm believer that every person should be well rounded in all academic subjects. Skidmore’s liberal arts view and the core requirements encourage this among all students.

2.      Activities- Skidmore hosts over 3,000 different activities, sporting events, lectures, and performances each school year. There is always something to do and participate in!

3.      Arts and Sciences- At Skidmore I am able to combine my love of theatre with my neuroscience major. Skidmore wants its students to work on everything they’re passionate about and so at Skidmore I am able to balance both my art and science work.

4.      Saratoga Springs- Saratoga is an incredible town. Home to the racetrack in the summer, and home to some of the nation’s best apples year round, the town is quaint and fun to be in. There are festivals every month and it is very proud of Skidmore and the Skidmore students.

5.      Community- It was clear the moment I set foot on the campus that there was a strong connection amongst students. The Skidmore student is one that values everyone and works to have a positive impact in both the local and global community. The students are active and love to celebrate how incredible our school is!

Checkout https://www.facebook.com/SkidmoreCollege and https://www.facebook.com/SkidmoreCollegeAdmissions

 Love always, Emmeline

Christmas is Around the Corner!

Christmas is around the corner, which I'm very excited about! We have surf n' turf on Christmas eve (usually lobster and filet mignon) and on Christmas day we have brunch with crab and avocado eggs benedict and a dinner feast with mashed potatoes, prime rib, ham, and a whole bunch of other really good dishes! Although, while I am happy to be home, I do miss Skidmore! The early decision acceptance letters went out and it's great to see and hear from all the excited new members of the class of 2016. They seem like a fantastic group of students who are eager to get to Skidmore. I hope they get as much out of the school as I have! It's been such an incredible place to learn and I still love my professors. They are all so different yet their passion for teaching is similar. Christmas is another time where I like to reflect on all that I am grateful for and Skidmore is definitely on the top of the list. That's all for now, but please have a safe and happy holiday!

Love always,

Emmeline

Homeward Bound!

I am one of the few who finished all of their final exams and papers on the first day, and am now headed home!!! The first semester of Organic Chemistry has been successfully completed along with my other classes and now I have six weeks to read for pleasure, watch movies, go snowboarding, hangout with my family, and just take time to re-center and breathe :) I'm going to miss college life, but I think it's definitely time for a break. Christmas is nearing and before we know it the new year will have arrived! I'm ecstatic!!!! Do me a favor and today, take 5 minutes for yourself to just smile and breathe-life is wonderful :)
Love always,
Emmeline

P.S.
Get ready for some hometown pics pretty soon!

Deck the Halls

   The holiday spirit has definitely enveloped Skidmore! A cappella groups have been singing, the town along with the windows of dorm rooms are decorated with pretty lights, and the dining hall is decorated too! A dusting of snow has happened each night and even in the midst of finals preparation you can't help but smile. I always love to holiday season because for me it is about spending time with family and taking a break from all the difficulties to just breathe. It's a time meant for giving rather than receiving, and for being supportive of all those around you. I am excited to fly home in 6 days and really appreciate all the wonderful friends and family that will be waiting for me. This was an incredible semester, but also the most difficult I've had so I look forward to lights guiding me home and allowing me to take a nice break before I come back for part two. Take care of yourselves and your families, and as usual...
Love always,
Emmeline

Theodore, God, and Marilyn

Me, Gab, and Emily

   Alright, I know this title is weird, but it comes from nicknames that my roommates and I came up with last year...it's quite a complicated inside joke, but the point is that I am taking the moment to write about how much I love my current roommate and our old roommate from last year when we lived in a triple. Gab, Emily, and I LOVED living in a triple. A lot of people stared at us strangely every time we would spastically chat about how much we loved our triple. We were quite lucky in the fact that we all got along and were easy to live with. Even though Gab and I don't live with Emily anymore we still see her often :) I was truly blessed last year and the same goes for this year.
   Gab has been a total life-saver. She has been here for me when I am sad, tired, grumpy, dramatic, spastically happy, and even when I am convinced I am in love with someone I only met an hour ago (hahaha I fall in love quickly!). She is willing to be silly with me and always encourages me to never take myself too seriously. We both are high achievers so that works out well too since we take our academics seriously. We have fun, we work hard, and we live well together. Unfortunately, we don't have our third musketeer living with us anymore, BUT Gab, Emily, and I (aka Theodore, God, and Marilyn) are Skidmore's three musketeers :) I lucked out with roommates and I hope they always remember it...p.s. did you know last week was national appreciate your roommate week?

Love always, Emmeline

A Passionate Play with Passionate Actors -- Skidmore Theatre Presents "Passion Play."

    
     I have seen a lot of theatre and I have seen a lot of student theatre put on by many colleges. No student show I have ever seen would be able to top Skidmore's newest department show called "Passion Play," by Sarah Ruhl. The plot occurs in three different time era's where a group of people are putting on a production of the Passion Play. The audience first witnesses this production in Elizabethan England when a group of religious people are hiding a priest and forced to put the play on in secret because of the widespread condemnation of Catholics in England. The second part occurs in Nazi Germany, and the third in the middle of nowhere South Dakota under the Reagan administration. The play was humorous, respectful of religion, poignant, yet provocative as well. The actors did an incredible job of pulling in the audience and realistically playing emotions that everyone can relate to. The show is three hours long, but I could have happily sat there to see more!

Love always, Emmeline

2 More Weeks!

    Two more weeks until the end of classes and the start of finals! I am freaking out... There is an air of panic on campus for literally everyone. Professors are freaking out because they've realized they only have a few more class periods to teach us important concepts, students are freaking out because in these last two weeks we get piles of work thrown to us, and everyone else is freaking out because there are manic teachers and students running around. It is quite the sight. That being said, I am really excited for these next two weeks because when they are finished I will have successfully conquered some of the hardest classes at Skidmore. One semester of Organic Chemistry will be down with only one more left to go! The weeks leading up to finals are stressful, but they go by a lot easier if you keep a positive attitude and MANAGE YOUR TIME WELL! I'll keep you updated on the process :)

Love always, Emmeline

A Commentary on Skidmore's Performances

I am thankful for...

1. An incredible family
2. Beautiful and loving friends
3. Skidmore and all the opportunities that I have been blessed with throughout my life
4. My brain
5. Turkey and good food and drink
6. Football (the NFL)
7. Bunnies
8. Sunshine
9. The ocean and the mountains
10. Each breath that I am taking in

Love always, Emmeline

Bleh, Thank Goodness for First Floor Johnson!

This picture has absolutely nothing to do with anything, but it makes me happy. This is me at age seven!

I have loads of exciting things to share with you all about the recent performances I have seen here at Skidmore, but at the moment I am very sick with a "flu like virus." Yes, I did get my flu shot so I'm not sure why this is happening, but it is. That being said you will have to wait a few days for my video post about all of those exciting things, and instead you can now read on about the top ten reasons I absolutely love Skidmore Health Services :)

1. They are conveniently located right next to the dining hall and their hours are Sunday-Friday 8am to 5pm. Brilliant!
2. When you come in they are super friendly and welcoming whether you appear to be just fine or hit by the black plague...they are there to help everyone.
3. They know college students...they know that even when they tell us that we need to rest we probably won't...so, they have this room with beds that they force you into so that you have to rest. It's like having your mom on campus!
4. They have an unlimited supply of Mucinex...I swear that I will never have to buy another bottle again because they give me a bunch whenever I am in.
5. When they give you a shot they are very quick and do it with impressive skill.
6. When I passed out in movement class and was taken to them by campus safety they gave me juice...they don't get all complicated on you. They can because they are very well trained, but they are also really good at seeing the obvious...they do heal hundreds of college students everyday!
7. They give out free stuff. I got some very nice sample size shampoo the other day, and right now they've hidden virus shaped stuffed animals throughout the academic buildings and if you find one you get a prize!
8. Their magazine selection is great...we all know how important that is.
9. The have a bunch of different prescriptions right on hand so most of the time you don't even have to go to a real pharmacy when they diagnose you with an illness.
10. They have literally seen it all so they never judge. Whether you are spastically freaking out that you're nineteen and having a heart attack because your left arm has a radiating pain, or you just have the good old fashion flu, they are always around to help with a smile on their faces.

Love always, Emmeline

Food, Glorious Food!

     It was one of those nights again, and by those nights I mean the nights when d-hall has a special themed dinner. IT WAS AWESOME! Local restaurants from around town came and shared their food. There were meals from Forno, Chez Pierre, the Country Corner Cafe, and a whole bunch of others. Ah! It was sooooo good and very healthy. I has some incredible pan seared arctic char as well as brussel sprouts, yum! I'm always happy when d-hall has nights like they did tonight. Now that my stomach is satisfied, I am back in my room preparing to start my chemistry reading. Classes have been great this week! In chemistry we've been talking about stereochemistry and light optics which has been challenging, but fascinating. My movement class has been especially great this week. We are working on stage combat, and we've been assigned to create scenes with a partner using all the different stage combat techniques we've learned. My scene should be interesting...let's just say the plot involves a bunny being run over by a golf cart, yikes! I will try and film it so that I can share it with you all.
     Over the weekend I went to see two of the theatre departments workshops. One of them was entitled "The Intruder," and Gab stage managed! It was also great because a friend of mine who I've been in school since kindergarten with was also in the show. It was a touching piece on death, physical and metaphorical darkness, and acceptance of the nature of tragedy. I was near tears by the end of it and it was only 45 minutes. I was very impressed. This weekend is going to be busy too. I plan to help the costume department with some last minute preparations for the upcoming production of "Passion Play," and my friend Kevin is also directing a show called "The Amish Project" this weekend. BEATLEMORE SKIDMANIA IS ALSO THIS WEEKEND! I am sooooooo excited. Okay, well I should go finish my homework so I have time to participate in all these fun activities :)
Love always, Emmeline

I'll Show You How Valuable Elle Woods Is!

Me Kissing Cupcake :)

Elle Woods, Paulette, and the UPS Guy from Legally Blonde (Me, Gab, and Cole)

     Halloween weekend was a success! My Elle Woods from Legally Blond costume was quite the hit, and we all had a lot of fun. Gab's boyfriend, Cole, came up to visit and we went to the fall festival downtown. There was a SUPER FAT BUNNY named "Cupcake," and I came very close to kidnapping it...don't worry, Gab stopped me. It was really fun to see all the little kids dressed up in town. Of course there were princesses and transformers, but the best was a little girl who was probably about four dressed up in a really intense tarantula costume. She was precious! I love being myself, but it is fun to pretend like someone else for a weekend :)

     On Friday a bunch of us attempted to go to a haunted house. Gab found a poster for the haunted house, we plugged the address into the GPS, drove 20 minutes, stopped in front of house, realized the haunted house was actually someone's residence and that it was closed because they were having a dinner party...they were quite amused by seeing three cars of college kids pull up hahaha. All in all the weekend was really fun, and the "Moorbid Dance" was also great! Unfortunately, back to reality now...just kidding, I love reality too!!!!

Love always, Emmeline

What is there to do when it snows at Skidmore?

Snow at Skidmore is beautiful and SUPER FUN! Snowball fights and snowman building on the main green is a favorite. There are Ski mountains close by so some people go up there. There are lots of places for sledding, and in Febuary when there is a ton of snow the Student Government Association puts on a big bonfire with hot chocolate and fireworks. It's great! The town also has a winter festival with hot chocolate and cider, and the street is all lit up. They have carolers and reindeer too!!!! The snow doesn't keep us from going out and having fun!

Ask me anything