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

Made it Out Alive!

We Finished The Maze In A Record 42 minutes!

     It has been a while! I've been in midterm mode, but I am finally out. I finished my Organic Chemistry exam this morning, and now I have time to relax and prepare for Halloween. WOOHOO! Elle Woods from Legally Blonde is one of my inspirations so to pay tribute, I will be dressing as her. Don't worry, I will take pictures :) Since fall will be gone soon, I have been making sure to celebrate it fully. Last weekend Gab, Emily, Madi, Rafie, Johnny, and I had our first annual "Fall Day." We went to Saratoga Apple in the morning to pick apples, drink cider, and eat cider donuts. THEY WERE DELICIOUS. The apples that we picked we obviously took home, and now they are sitting in my room. I don't have to go to dhall to get an apple quickly...it's great! After apple picking, we went to Elmswood Farms to do the "aMAIZEing Corn Maze" and pick pumpkins. It was such a fun weekend. There were also bunnies at the farm which everyone knows are my favorite :) Moorbid Ball is this weekend and I cannot wait for all the other Halloween Festivities! I'll keep you updated on all the fun I have and candy I eat this weekend hahaha
Love always, Emmeline

ZOMBIES

     Last night I went to see our theatre departments blackbox show called "Pilgrims of the Night." It was very well done, and the playwright, Lee Jenkins, was in attendance! The set transformed the black box into a ferry terminal. The normally black floors were painted to resemble wood perfectly, and hanging from the ceiling were panels that framed the playing space to look as if there was a roof above them. The plot line is centered around a group of people stuck at a ferry terminal for the night, and in order to pass time they each take turn telling stories. While the ferry people are telling these stories, the stories then come alive for the audience. While the show was incredibly funny (there was a scene with a very complicated zombie dance) there were also some quite touching moments. In the end the play really showed the power of telling stories and encouraged the audience to go out and do the same. The show closes on Tuesday, but it was worth every penny. I may be going back tomorrow...Love always, Emmeline

Blurry Vision

Me Wearing My New Glasses!!!

  
     My life is hectic at the moment. My hours are filled with preparing for exams next week, writing pages of post-lab work, sewing costumes for the upcoming theatre department shows, selling tickets for the upcoming theatre department shows, planning events for the education club, writing papers about China.........I could go on, but I'll stop now. The point of that whole introduction was to make clear how stressful college life can be. If you come and walk around campus you will see smiling, happy faces walking around with strands of hair falling out after a night spent in the library. School is hard. It's a fact of life, but as of late I have been learning some key strategies for managing stress! Below is my list of ways to reduce stress whether you are a full time mom, a teacher, a student, a dad preparing to let his baby girl go to college, or just a plain, old, tired, super busy adult like me!
1. If you are having trouble seeing, but you think it's only because you're stressed, go to an eye doctor anyway. Turns out I needed glasses!
2. Inhale through your nose for 10 counts and exhale through your mouth for 6 counts. Repeat for 2 minutes.
3. Buy a coloring book and crayons. Disney Princesses, Dinosaurs...really it's your choice, but devote 5 minutes to just coloring in silence.
4. Weekly yoga. Skidmore has a yoga club that has hour long classes on Sunday. It's an excellent way to calm your mind and get in touch with your body.
5. DON'T PROCRASTINATE. Time management is key to success with minor stress :)
6. Take your vitamins. I have the gummy bear kind which makes taking my vitamins super fun!
7. Don't take yourself too seriously. If you take yourself too seriously then you forget to laugh and if you forget to laugh chances are you are not smiling which totally brings down your mood and makes you even more stressed.
8. Get enough sleep. Nobody likes a crabby pants, and you can't successfully get things accomplished if you keep dozing off in the middle of the day.
9. Exercise daily! You don't have to run a marathon or anything, but "exercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy, and happy people just don't kill their husbands...they just don't." Yes, that was a quote from Legally Blond
10. Have faith and confidence in yourself. If you don't then nobody else will either.
Keep your chins up and have a wonderful, stressless (not a word, but that's okay) week!!!
Love always, Emmeline

"It's The Dawning of The Age of Aquarius"

Brittany, my sister, and I at HAIR!

     Friday night, I went to see the Homemade Theatre Company's production of Hair! It was excellent and the best part about it was that Skidmore students and alumni were involved. Emma Ayres, a first year student, was in the tribe and had many solos. I was impressed not only by her voice, but by how committed she was to her character. Skidmore alum, Chris Thomas, played the role of Claude while another Skidmore alum, Jaime Martinez-Rivera, assisted with the productions lighting design. Skidmore professors were involved as well! It was a fun show and had the audience engaged the entire time. It was great to see a piece of political theatre as well. Art is such a beautiful medium to use in order the make a statement. Current there is an art exhibit, Windows and Mirrors: Reflections on the War in Afghanistan, at our Wilson Chapel so I am very eager to check that out sometime this week.
     My sister was here for Celebration Weekend which was great! California to Albany was a long flight so I am really appreciative that she took the time to sit through that. Unfortunately, my upcoming week is crazy! This week is filled with preparation for my upcoming mid-terms and exams...all three a week from tomorrow...yikes! Well, I am off to the library to begin my week of studying. Wish me luck!!!
Love always, Emmeline

Days of D-Hall and Dorm Rooms

Part of college is spending  huge amounts of time in the dining hall and the dorms. Since many of you at home, and those of you checking in with me for the first time, have yet to see my dorm room I thought I would attach a video of it! Today was beautiful out so I actually didn't spend a whole lot of time in my room, but tonight is devoted to studying and reading which will take place at my lovely desk. Hope you enjoy my video :)Love always,
Emmeline

Do you ever get homesick? I am worried about missing my family are there opportunities for them to visit?

I definitely get homesick. I have a very close relationship with my family which made coming to Skidmore very difficult. That being said I found that Skype has been a great tool to help me stay in touch, and keeping busy with activities and really creating your own sort of "college family" really helps. Parent's Weekend is this weekend which is exciting -- My older sister is visiting Skidmore for the first time! Also, if your parents have time, there are long weekends that they can pay a visit. Homesickness is very common, but I think the most important thing to remember is that there are other people whoe end up feeling the same way. I've bonded with many friends over being homesick, and then we get together and come up with activities to get our minds off of it :)

Ask me anything

More Than Meets the Eye



Be Silly! College is Fun--Embrace It!!!

   I was sitting at Starbucks this afternoon and my new friend Tom came and sat with me for a bit. I met him last week at Starbucks and I was a little taken aback when he just came, sat at my table, and introduced himself. It was clear that Tom was intellectually disabled, but when I got to actually speaking with him he turned out to be highly interesting. Today, we didn't really talk about much, simply the sunshine and the caramel apple cider that we were both drinking. It was not a monumental conversation in any way, shape, or form, but it was one of those moments that made me embrace how happy I am to be alive. So often I get caught up in being irritated with the exam that's coming up, or the friend that won't return my calls, but really those are trivial little parts of what is an overall awesome life! I know my blogs lately have been fairly cheesy, but I almost lost a dear friend over the weekend and I implore you to really take the time to embrace life because all too soon it can be taken from you. Those who know me well know that I idolize Marilyn Monroe and the complexity of her life so I will leave you with her quote, “We should all start to live before we get too old. Fear is stupid. So are regrets.” -Marilyn Monroe
Love always, Emmeline

It's a Beautiful Day

Me and Gab being silly!

     It's easy to get wrapped up in the fast pace of college and forget to stop and smell the roses. I've been reminded lately that life is a beautiful gift, and unfortunately so many people lose sight of that. I'm thankful for my life, the opportunity to come to Skidmore, and the people I am lucky enough to call true friends.
   I'm happy that this week is over as it was filled with numerous exams and papers! This weekend is the all-college "Oktoberfest" weekend that is thrown annually by the senior class. Yesterday there were bouncy castles in the green and I was SOOOOO EXCITED! Tonight there is a semi-formal Victorian dance...I'm not sure what attire qualifies as "Victorian," but I'm excited nonetheless. Next week is the start of my work for the Skidmore theatre box office! The black box show, "Pilgrims of the Night," is very soon, and it turns out that the PLAYWRIGHT WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE for our show...OMG! Well, I'm off to give a tour!
Love always,
Emmeline

Dienstag!

I remember that much of my junior year of high school was spent in awe of my chemistry teacher. He went to Harvard, he tried medical school but realized he had more of a passion for teaching, he was an extremely talented baker, and he spoke German! My family comes from Norway and Ireland so I know very little about Germany and German culture except for what I’ve been told in history class. The language I’ve heard spoken a few times by my chemistry teacher and a couple friends, but that’s about it. When I called my mother yesterday morning and shared with her that I was planning to attend a German hip-hop concert she laughed and then said, “Emmeline, I admire that you always seem to branch out your interests.”

Part of college is experiencing things you may have never thought about before so last evening I walked over to the Skidmore Dance Theatre and witnessed the talent of two German DJs from Berlin. They mixed “DJ-ing” with rapping and threw in the beats of some of the U.S.’s top 40 music. It was a highly entertaining experience, but I was rather saddened by the lack of attendance. There were about 30 people total (one of those was my organic chemistry professor) and most of them were from the German class. Everyone there was super excited and participatory, but I think the event could have sparked much more interest if it was advertised more and placed in a venue like Falstaff’s. We were all encouraged to get up and dance on stage, but in a place the size of the dance theatre and with only about 30 other people it was kind of awkward to go to the front and “shake it.” On a Thursday night in Falstaff’s I could see the event being brilliant. The advertisement would have been better, attendance would have been up, and the student population would be ecstatic to have the opportunity to dance to some new beats! While I wish the concert had been set-up differently, I still enjoyed it. I got to meet new faces, sing and dance to German music, and have a far more upbeat Tuesday night than usual.

Liebe immer (love always), Emmeline

Summer is FALLing Away :)

Football with my Skiddies!!!

   
     The rain has been non-stop and the temperature has finally dropped which means that it must be fall! Last weekend a few of my friend and I took a road trip to the beautiful Adirondack Mountains and I was blown away by the vast amounts of leaves changing color. I never knew that so many shades of red, yellow, and orange existed!
    I've officially been back at Skidmore for one month and I am adjusting well. It was a tough start considering that my boyfriend decided that he wanted to end things, but the support of my friends and family has been great! My classes have been wonderful which also has helped. 9 hours of lab a week might seem overwhelming, but it has actually been quite exciting!!! My bio lab has really helped me delve into the mechanisms behind evolution and my organic chemistry professor has made the complicated world of organic chem into something fun and interesting so I can't complain! This coming weekend is the all-college Oktoberfest weekend so I'm preparing for all the fun. Karaoke night is Thursday and I am PUMPED!!!
    Love always, Emmeline

Undecided

    Undecided. College students all seem to go through a phase where most everything in their life is undecided. We have yet to declare our major, we have no idea what we want our future to hold, we can't even decide whether we want to have dinner on or off campus. Part of the beauty of being a college student is that it's okay for us to be undecided at the moment, but still it makes things complicated. It makes things uncertain.    
    I am happy to be back, but all this uncertainty makes the transition from home to here so much more difficult. I have faith that it will get better and all this cloudy, rainy weather isn't helping much either. That being said, Saratoga Springs is a great place. It was nice to grab a chai latté from "Uncommon Grounds," and to listen to live music at the street festival. Seeing familiar faces is comforting, and I'm enjoying meeting new people as well.
    Classes start tomorrow...wish me luck!
Love always, Emmeline

The Tides are Changing

     While "the tides are changing" is a fairly cliché metaphor in this case it is actually as much of a fact as it is a metaphor. As the summer season fades to fall the earth's axis changes it's rotation thus causing a change in the behavior of the ocean as well. While these events are happening outside of our atmosphere there are just as significant changes occurring within.
     A hoard of five-year olds are responsible for many parent's tears as they trot off to kindergarten, awkward and acne-faced fourteen-year olds are hesitant as they take their first steps through the doors of high school, and then there are the nineteen-year olds eager to get back to the fantasy world of college and unprepared for what is notoriously known as the "Sophomore Slump." It's a term I've heard as often as "the freshman 15," and quite frankly I find it just as terrifying. Many would argue that since I am able to recognize the common ailment that occurs in second-year college students then I should be able to avoid it. While I hope that is the case I've come to realize that my fear in that silly term resides less in the fact that I will fall slave to it and more in the fact that those words connote an air of uncertainty that rings true for the year that lies ahead. "Sophomore Slump" lacks all specifics. It could refer to your academic work, your social life, or even something as mundane as your eating habits. I have no idea what it means, and that is the very nature of uncertainty.
     I can't deny that I am eagerly awaiting this Friday morning when Lauren and I will bored US Airways flight 950 and begin our journey to Skidmore; but I am also feeling sadness in the fact that I must say goodbye to my mother as well as fear that I will be unable to embrace this uncertainty that is a very crucial part of not just the college experience, but life in general. Only so many pills and self-help books can help you until eventually you must face life and all it's scariness, challenges, and successes head-on. That's my goal for this year...instead of backing down from life I am going to immerse myself in it and rock it :) I hope you all can do the same. Oh and in case you didn't figure it out, THE BLOG IS BACK FROM SUMMER VACATION!
Love always,
Emmeline

"Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch Changes"

Taylor and I on "Funday"!

One week and one day. One is my lucky number, but all these one's are a little bittersweet right now. I am extremely excited to go back to Colorado; I can't wait for the beautiful mountains, my mom and dad and family, Keegan, Connor, Bo, and Jill, and all my amazing friends! It will be nice to have my own room again, and a kitchen counter to sit on, but I am going to miss college a lot. I remember getting ready to move-in to my dorm and I was very concerned about whether or not I was going to be able to accept Saratoga as my second home, and now I am sitting here worried about if I will be able to smoothly transition back to my first home. It's going to be very hard to leave...I am going to miss my roommates like crazy, and it has officially been one month since Taylor and I officially became a couple and saying goodbye is going to be hard. Going home is really a catch-22. That being said Freshman year is a almost finished and while I still often feel like a little kid, I'm also starting to feel like an adult too. Wish me luck on my finals, and I'm excited to see you all!
Love always,
Emmeline

Past, Present, and Future

      It's April 2nd today which means that I have a total of six weekends left at Skidmore until it's officially summertime. It's strange to think that in a short time I will have finished my first year of college. Senior year of high school and freshman year of college are two of those big events in life that you will never forget and for me it's all about to be over. It feels like it was yesterday when my mom had to pull over at a drugstore on the way to graduation so that I could get waterproof mascara, and I clearly remember my first night at Skidmore anxiously introducing myself to every person I saw. Don't misunderstand me, I am thrilled for the vast amount of memorable events that lay ahead, but sometimes I do wish I could go back for a moment and appreciate the things that I was too blind to notice at the time. My mom told me that I can't rehash the past or stress about the future. She said I need to focus on right now so I am working on it. Yesterday was a great memory, my future is bright, but for now I am going to live in the moment.
Love always, Emmeline

Sunshine and Spring

I am sitting in Florida at the moment and it is absolutely beautiful. It has been in the high seventies/low eighties all week making it the perfect temperature to lay by the pool and get a suntan. I have been soaking up all the vitamin D that I can before I have to go home. Yesterday, I went to Seaworld to pet stingrays and see the sharks. It was a bittersweet experience. I will always find Seaworld as a fun place to visit, but as of late their parks have become less focused on education/conservation and more on spectacle. The dolphin show was the most dissapointing...the dolphins were about 5% percent of the show where as the other 95% was trainers and dancers in hideous wetsuit costumes doing acrobatic tricks. I am writing a letter to Seaworld expressing my dissapointment over their programming. I hope all of you are experiencing a little bit of the springtime warmth, and watch out for Leperchauns tomorrow!
Love always, Emmeline

Dreaming of Warmer Days

Saratoga Chowder Fest Was Quite A Hit!

The sun is out today which is a pleasant reminder of how the low temperatures will soon begin to rise. Spring Break is in one week, and I am ecstatic to meet my mom, dad, and Lauren in Orlando! I am praying that the weather will stay warm there so that I can comfortably lounge around by the pool. School has been going well, but it gets a tad overwhelming sometimes. I am really enjoying my English class about media and its effect on society, and neuroscience is another class that's always interesting. I have been giving many tours these past few weeks which has been fun! There is something abiut interacting with families that I find quite comforting especially since I am surrounded by college students for the majority of my day. I'm hopefully going to make it to the mall this afternoon so that Gab and I can pet the bunny at the pet store, and tomorrow I am going to our Lacrosse game against Western Conneticut so I am definitely excited it's the weekend! I hope you are all well.
Love always, Emmeline

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

The weather was finally starting to warm up this past week. The temperature was slowly rising and the sun was out often, but today all hell broke loose and in came a blizzard. Classes were cancelled at 1pm, but my Calculus teacher still decided to hold class and I had to still give my 3pm prospective student tour. I am exhausted! That being said, it is finally Friday! I am so happy to have a break after the tough week I had. I hope all is well on the homefront, and I am very excited to have some time to hopefully give many of you calls!

Love always, Emmeline

Check This Out

I've been really busy, but check this link out! I was quoted on the Skidmore Website!
http://cms.skidmore.edu/news/news.cfm?passID=2629

Be Mine



The Beautiful Taylor Women Clan

 Tomorrow I have a never ending day, so I have decided to write my Valentine's Day post now. As most of you know, I believe Valentine's Day should be everyday. I think that you should remind people of your love always, but unfortunately that just doesn't happen so I suppose Valentine's Day is nice holiday despite how it has become distastefully commercial. Love is a strong word and nothing bothers me more than when people just casually throw it around, but I do love you all. My life has been altered for the better by all of you (unless you're an unkown stalker who just likes to read my blog), and I want you to know that you're often on my mind even though I am so far away. It will be a different Valentine's Day this year as I will be celebrating with people who I am just not ready to really love as friends, family, or otherwise, but that's okay! It will still be a fun day. I hope you have a lovely Valentine's Day, and remember to take a moment and really embrace the strength of what it means to love.
Love always, Emmeline

The Moving Walkway Is Nearing Its End

Me and My Friend Zach Practicing Our Dance Moves!

The past two weeks have been extremely overwhelming. The Freshman Class Student Council Weekend begins tomorrow, and we have been non-stop working. On top of that I have had an unending amount of Neuro, Chem, and Calc homework. I have had no time to even sit and take a moment to breathe. It feels nice to rest and take a break by writing to you all. While I have been extremely busy I found time last weekend to go to a basketball game (which we won against Hamilton College) and be silly with my friends! I am feeling ready for warmer weather, however I am not sure it will ever come :-( I hope you are all happy and healthy.
Love always, Emmeline

Sunrise, Sunset

I have been awake constantly. I am lacking sleep and patience and this morning I was awake at 6:45am, but something made me feel a bit better. See, my window shades were pulled up and as I woke up I got to see the sun wake up too. The sunrise was beautiful, and it has been a very long time since I have seen one. I forgot how magical that moment can be. Yes, I am tired and cranky and have way too much going on right now, but it was a nice reminder to pause, take a breath, and soak up the little moments of a day. Speaking of soaking up moments, I soaked up the moment yesterday when I was told how despite the scare Grandma Pat was awake and eating pot roast! That women truly is a fighter. I have heard stories of Great Gram Bars and the strength of her personality, and I see it all the time in Grandma Pat as well. I hope that my genes luck out enough to even get half the strength of them. I hope all is going well wherever you may be, and please take a moment to stop and smell the roses today.
Love always, Emmeline

It Feels Like Summer!

     I could have never imagined that the phrase, "Oh! It's 11 degrees and sunny today. It's so warm!" would come out of my mouth, but alas it is something that I have begun to say often. I used to complain about 40 degree weather, but now there is none of that. I am thankful for any tiny sliver of sun and any increase in temperature whether it's 5 degrees or even 1.
     While my Monday started nicely with 11 degrees and sun, it has taken an unfortunate turn. I have been on the phone with florists all morning, and they're a snobbish breed. The Freshman Class Council is putting together a rose sale to raise funds for the Franklin Community Center which is a local organization providing support for low income families and elderly. We have been trying to work with florists, but they have been quite rude and unwilling to work with our budget. I'm sorry but if we are going to be ordering around 300 roses it is in their best interest to work with us. We are not going to spend $4 dollars per rose because in order to turn a profit to raise funds we would have to sell each rose for $5 and college kids will not buy a $5 rose. This sale is also for an incredible organization so I am frustrated that the local businesses don't seem to really care. One florist said she would have been willing to donate the flowers, but unfortunately she is going out of the country when we need them :-( What has happened to the notion of helping one another out? For my english class on the media's effect on society we have to write a response on five values we believe permeate throughout America, and selfishness is definitely one I am noticing more and more.
Love always, Emmeline

Friday, Yes!

Finally it's Friday! Starting classes has been wonderful, but a brain can only take so much chemistry, calculus, and neuroscience. I have my final interview to be a tour guide today- I have to give a mock tour to the head tour guides. I hope I do okay! It's still pretty chilly here, but the temperature has risen from way below zero to 24 degrees today! I really do miss the warmth, and the feeling of sun hitting my face though. I hope all is well with you all.
Love always, Emmeline

Burrrrrr!

It's 15 below zero this morning. What a lovely thing to wake-up to on a Monday :-)

And So It Ends

Warmer Days Back During Thanksgiving!

    
     Well, Christmas has come and gone as well as the beginning of the new year and I now find myself preparing to go back to Skidmore. While I detest the process of getting back to school (the insanely long travel time), I am quite excited to see my friends and begin classes! This semester I am taking Chemistry II, Calculus II, Introduction to Neuroscience, and an English course that examines media's role on fiction and writing.
    Going back to Skidmore will be fantastic, but leaving home will be sad. I had a wonderful break! Christmas was  filled with spending time with my family, and it was realy nice being able to see all my friends here in Denver. I went up snowboarding with my daddy, and my mom and I went to the spa! It was a relaxing and fun-filled break, but alas it does feel like it's time for me to head up the snowy New York! I will update you all soon on how the first week back goes :-)
     Love always, Emmeline.