Simply Serendipitous

Undeniably one of the most fun parts of the spring semester as a Hopkins senior is Senior Week.  There’s always about a week in between the last day of finals and graduation day, so seniors take this opportunity to get a little wild before we all disperse and have to behave like grown-ups.  There are a ton of different Senior Week events, but the most interesting/blog-worthy topic is the Preakness.

What, you ask, is the Preakness?  Well, it’s the second race in the Triple Crown — it’s officially known as Preakness Stakes.  (In case you’re wondering, the Kentucky Derby is the first race and the Belmont Stakes is the third).  Preakness is a tradition that Baltimoreans take very seriously –in a manner of speaking.

Preakness Infield Fest -- those big hats are actually very practical. My face didn't even get sunburned!

Although I was a delinquent senior and didn’t purchase the Senior Week ticket package, I managed to buy a ticket from a student who decided not to go to Preakness – I was unbelievably excited and immediately went hat shopping and downloaded the Preakness iPhone app.  Don’t let the big hats fool you, though, this was not your typical seersucker-wearing, mint-julep-sipping kind of event; the biggest draw for Preakness is the Infield Fest.   This year’s unofficial slogan was something along the lines of “Preakness: a ten hour party for a two-minute race.”    The inner portion of the track is gated and grassy and there are multiple stages, food vendors, and a “mug club” for those of legal drinking age.  The mascot for the Infield Fest was “Kegasus,” a centaur with long hair and a beer belly.  I hope you’re getting the picture – this really is a big outdoor party in the middle of a horse racing track.

If I haven’t sold you on it yet, I should also mention that the headlining concerts were Train and Bruno Mars.  Both were amazing performances and definitely worth the few hours in a crowded, sweaty, and shade-less standing-room-only section.  And, of course, there was the horse racing.  Sitting in the infield prevents you from getting a good view of the races, but there are those few seconds each time when they run by your corner of the track and everyone gets super-excited.  And yes, we did actually see the Preakness itself, though we had to pull out the smart phones to find out who actually won.

The actual Preakness race - as seen from the Infield. If you look closely you can see that there are actually horses there.

In case you haven’t fully grasped the Preakness experience, let me tell it another way.  The buses left around 10:00 AM for a race that was scheduled to begin at 6:18 PM, and many of my friends took cabs so they could arrive when the gates opened at 8:00 AM.  Preakness, at least for us, wasn’t about the races or the betting – it is a truly unique Baltimore experience that you can really appreciate after living in the city for nearly four years.  It’s a bit sloppy, very sweaty, and somewhat of an unpleasant picture, but it was by far one of my favorite Saturdays ever spent in Baltimore.

My apologies for the lack of blogging lately!  I’ve been incredibly busy submitting ten of my law school applications, taking my last Hopkins midterm and finishing pre-Thanksgiving assignments.  This weekend was a busy one, with a friend’s 21^st birthday (she is the youngest in a close group of friends, so we were very excited for her) and the initiation/installation of Pi Beta Phi on campus!  I was certainly looking forward to all of the festivities, but woke up Thursday with a sore throat.  Unfortunately, it’s Sunday and I still have feverish symptoms and pain pretty much everywhere above my neck, so I’m going to keep this blog short and just share some of my favorite pictures from this fall, mostly from this weekend.  I had a lovely weekend and I’m sure it would’ve been absolutely perfect if I hadn’t felt like a zombie.  Expect an actual update soon — I promise I have lots to share!

a beeeautiful apple pie made from farmer's market apples!

a Pi Phi event the night before initiation -- I stocked up on candy to get me through finals!

Senior Pi Phis at our Installation Banquet

Celebrating the last 21st birthday!

Slightly disorganized Pi Phis preparing for a group shot.

I never, ever thought I’d write a blog about this, but here goes.  This past weekend was Greek Weekend, consisting of several different events meant to showcase the pride that students have in their Greek organization.  Okay, that’s all well and good, but what does this have to do with me?  Well, I’m a new member of the newest sorority on campus, Pi Beta Phi (or, as it’s commonly known, Pi Phi).  Phew, there I said it.  Now let me tell you why.

For the past couple of years, Hopkins has had three sororities on campus that have national affiliations.  A new organization was invited to start a chapter on our campus this fall, and while I saw the signs and announcements about it all over campus, I didn’t think too seriously about it.   One of my close friends wanted to go through recruitment, and on a whim, I signed up to do it with her, thinking, “what do I have to lose?”  I didn’t think about it very seriously and kind of went along with her to check it out.

Greek Weekend include a soapbox derby for the fraternities. Pictured: two of their creations.

The entire recruitment process was a blur because it happened over just a few days.  Five days after I decided to “check it out” with my friend, it was Bid Day and we became new Pi Phi members.  I’d always admired the bonds the other Greek organizations have, but I never saw myself as fitting in with the “Greek culture.”  I thought it was a great thing for the students who were involved (and was always impressed by the pride in their chapter and national organization), but it just didn’t seem like something right for me.

However, the idea of helping shape an entirely new group on campus was too great of an opportunity to pass up and the thought of leaving something behind after I graduate was also very appealing.  Then, as I started learning more about the traditions and values of the organization (we’re technically called a fraternity for women, since it was started before the word ‘sorority’ was coined), I had a much clearer understanding of the pride other Hopkins Greeks have in their organizations.  I know it sounds silly – believe me, about a month ago I didn’t get it either – but being a part of a group with so much history and tradition is very exciting.

Our powderpuff football team and supporters right after the team won the championship game!

I’ve already met so many amazing girls who I never would have come across otherwise.  I really appreciate the diversity – of backgrounds, interests, majors, etc. – that a large group brings.  It’s really been an eye-opening experience and one that I’m so glad I’m having, even if it is abbreviated by my upcoming graduation.  Perhaps most importantly, I’m having so much fun participating in this other side of Hopkins that I never knew.  Getting to know sixty-something new girls was not something I expected to be doing as a senior, but it’s a ton of fun and a wonderful opportunity that I almost never had.

Now that I’m in my seventh (and last!) semester as a Hopkins undergrad, I’ve gotten much better about exploring Baltimore, or at least having an idea of what’s going on.  My friends joke that I’m practically a local, which is a huge exaggeration, but I do my best to read the local papers, subscribe to various event email lists, etc., so I have some idea of what’s going on where I live.  When you’re at such a beautiful campus and in a fun neighborhood, it’s easy to stay at home/close to home all the time – it’s not like you have to go downtown to find something to do.  But when the semester has really gotten going, I find that I really enjoy getting away from campus some weekends to take a break and recharge.  At the very least, it’s a nice change of pace to keep me from getting into a boring routine with my weekends.

Although the semester has just barely started, I already feel like I’ve been staying home too much (read: being lazy), so I thought I’d share some of my favorite neighborhoods and their cool little places to give you the inside scoop – and give me the motivation to get back out in the city, starting this weekend!

1. Waverly:  This is the area east of campus by about 6-8 blocks.  While I wouldn’t recommend wandering around at night on your own (as I would say about any place in any city), it has a couple of places that are fun for a group of friends.  The Farmers Market runs every Saturday, year round, from 7 am – noon.  It’s small and local, which makes it all the more fun.   I’ve come to know exactly where I can buy which things and I’ve also gotten very spoiled by always having fresh produce to cook with.  Also in Waverly is Pete’s Grille, an outstanding breakfast/lunch restaurant that’s the favorite of one of our hometown heroes, Michael Phelps.  It is diner-style with a long counter, so it’s not ideal for a huge group (as you might have to wait for a bunch of seats in a row), but it’s worth the walk and/or wait.  There’s also Thai Restaurant, which is exactly what it sounds like, and absolutely delicious.
2. Hampden:  To the west of campus is this charming little neighborhood that has the Hairspray vibe.  It has charming rowhouses and a quirky collection of shops and restaurants along The Avenue, or W 36^th Street.  I’m a fan of Holy Frijoles, a Mexican restaurant, and I love browsing the antique/vintage stores.  There’s also Lovelyarns, which is, in fact, a lovely little yarn shop.
3. Inner Harbor:  This is a popular tourist destination and is home to many big chain restaurants, but it’s still a fun place to go even after living here for a while.  Personal favorites include Miss Shirley’s, another breakfast/lunch place with an incredibly unique take on many classic dishes.  There’s also a Cheesecake Factory down there, which is one of my favorite places for an overly indulgent meal.  The Barnes and Noble is really cool to walk around, as it has the old structures of a power plant inside amongst the bookshelves.  Of course the aquarium makes its home down there as well and at super-discounted tickets on Friday nights, I think it’s going to make its way into my upcoming weekend plans.
4. Camden Yards:  As a formerly diehard, now more casual fan of the Orioles, I have to put Camden Yards in its own category.  Even if you’re not a baseball fan, the ballpark is gorgeous and it’s a fun late-summer activity.  Of course the food is delicious (Boog’s barbeque is my personal favorite, along with the funnel cakes), but if you need more incentive, they have $7 tickets for students on Friday nights.  Yes, they’re in the nosebleed section, but you still get a great view of the park and it’s a wonderfully cheap way to spend your evening.
5. Harbor East:  As the name implies, this is the area to the east of the Inner Harbor.  It is within walking distance of the Harbor, which adds plenty of options to a day in that area.  This is less touristy than the harbor, so the restaurants aren’t the huge chains and the shops are more trendy/boutique-y.  There’s a Whole Foods (yes!) and several great sushi restaurants, including Ra, which has half-off many things from 3-7PM during the week.  There’s a great theater down here as well, which shows 3D films and has a full bar for those of age.  They also sell crab-stuffed pretzels at the snack counter (I’ve never tried one).  Harbor East is just south of Little Italy, which is a charming little neighborhood that’s perfect for an Italian meal or all-you-can-eat dessert at Vaccaro’s on Mondays.
6. Fells Point:  Continuing in our eastwardly trend, moving further along the waterfront will bring you to Fells Point.  Often known only for the huge Halloween celebration and its low-key but expansive nightlife, this historic neighborhood has cobblestone roads and tons of antique shops.  On the outskirts of Fells Point are two very fun places, both very different.  Latin Palace is kitschy and a little overwhelming at first, but they have great food and offer cheap salsa dance lessons.  If you love to dance, you’ll fit right in.  If you’re like me, you’ll probably just enjoy watching everyone who is way more coordinated than you are.  Also nearby is Pazo, a beautiful and elegant tapas restaurant.  The food is incredible, but it can be kind of a pricey outing, so I tend to save it for special occasions.

So there you have it – some of my favorite places outside of the Homewood/Charles Village area.  I also love Mt. Vernon (near Peabody Conservatory), but I haven’t been to enough places down there that I can make legitimate recommendations (don’t worry, it’s on my list for this year).

Like I said, Homewood campus and Charles Village are great places to be and it’s easy to forget that there’s a whole city around us full of great restaurants, shops and other attractions.  I’m glad to have the best of both worlds with a gorgeous, residential campus and a fun and exciting city that’s incredibly accessible.

It’s the time of year when I start to realize that I really need to get super-focused and start preparing for finals.  However, it’s also pretty much the most fun time of the semester (if not entire year), making it incredibly difficult to get much of anything done.  My weekend kept creeping into the regular week, starting with a friend’s birthday on Wednesday, a formal on Thursday and then Spring Fair from Friday through Sunday.    It made for a fantastic weekend and a nice way to end the regular semester before finals begin.

The highlights of my Spring Fair were working in the beer garden for JHU Politik and eating lots of carnival food.  (Beer garden is a big event on the President’s lawn where student groups can raise money for their organizations by working.  And yes, I’m 21!) I also made sure to get Pad Thai from each and every Thai food vendor (there were four of them—four Pad Thais in 3 days!).  Of course there was a lot of other fried food consumed (pretty much for every meal), and browsing through the vendors on the Upper Quad on a drizzly Sunday.

While I could tell you about each of these events in detail, I actually brought my camera around all weekend (which is rare for me) and thought it’d be better to just let the pictures do the talking.  Enjoy (I know I did)!

In Fells Point for my friend's 22nd birthday

In Federal Hill for a fraternity formal

More from the formal

A friend shows her skills at Spring Fair

With friends at Spring Fair

my friends decided to decorate my hair with streamers for my birthday

So, it’s only been a couple of weeks since my last entry, but it’s amazing how much can happen in that time.  For one thing, I turned 21, which is, in the words of my always-eloquent brother, “the last birthday you’ll ever look forward to.”  So uplifting, big bro. But it was a wonderful occasion and the only birthday that has actually left me feeling different.  It’s been fun.

Of course, my birthday happened to coincide with the first day of the spring semester.  I had spent more time preparing for celebrations than for classes, making it entirely too difficult to get back to work that first (and second) week.  The weather seemed to feel my pain and sent me not one but TWO blizzards to give me  (and the rest of Hopkins) a nice little week off during what should have been our third week of classes.  While any normal, self-respecting overachieving Hopkins student would have gotten ahead (or, as they case may have been, caught up), I didn’t do much of anything for an entire week.  Unless, of course, you count trips to the beach to see what the snow looks like, watching a ridiculous number of movies, and sleeping an unhealthy amount.  While the idea of walking to class was an outrage, I managed to walk all over Charles Village to meet up with friends and enjoy more snow than I’d ever imagined.

Then (well, now), they sent us back to school.  And I’m currently writing this from a cozy chair on Q-Level at the library, where I can see the still-snow covered Gilman Quad, where I still have to wear rain boots (which, might I add, are getting very annoying) and I still haven’t fully adjusted to being a student again.  (It probably doesn’t help that it’s flurrying again).

Nevertheless, I’m slowly getting back into the swing of things, thanks to lots of coffee and a few too many naps.  I’m taking a relatively interesting mix of classes this semester and finishing off my requirements for the Homewood portion of my Public Health major (as in, all I’ll have left is a few classes at the School of Public Health next fall).  I’ve just registered for an LSAT prep course and I’m in the midst of applying for internships for the summer.  I’m doing my best to stay on top of everything, but you know, it’s a little difficult when there’s so much snow and fun to be had.  While all indications point to me moving forward, I’m still a little stuck on the snow week.  I’ll be back soon, I promise.  I’m easing back into things.  Like, do a little work, watch a movie.  Today, I’ve set the lofty goal of getting through my work without any naps.  So far, so good, but then again, it’s not even 5:00.  I’ll be back to normal very soon, I promise.

This is how I operate:  I have these periods of hyper-productivity, where I’m pretty much amazingly unstoppable.  It’s great.  But a lot of the time, I’m on the other end of the spectrum, where I’m entirely incapable of being a functioning member of society.  I go to the library, and try as I may, it just doesn’t happen.  In those times, I might try a little bit harder, and if I can’t force myself into productivity mode, I leave.  You see, I’d rather be at home, relaxed and not productive than at the library, sitting in a cubicle, and not productive.  The second I catch myself wandering onto Facebook while I’m at the library, it’s time to go, at least if I’m studying by myself.

It’s a system with obvious flaws.  And it’s not usually the kind of thing that works well on its own–I have to force myself to try to get into productivity mode, and only after serious (failed) effort do I give up.  So don’t think I’m a crazy slacker or anything.  Because that’s only sometimes.

Anyway, while I’m sure you’re fascinated by my work habits, I thought I’d tell you about what I do when I’m in one of my off-periods and am entirely useless as it pertains to schoolwork.  Here’s the general breakdown:

1. Bake.  Seriously, it’s become somewhat of a problem.  So far, I’ve gone through 15 pounds of flour this semester, and opened up a new bag last week when I started baking muffins late Sunday evening before heading off to the library.  Then of course, Tuesday night was cupcake night, but this was for a friend’s birthday, so I like to think that was a little bit more reasonable.  Chocolate chip cookies are another favorite.  All of this is from scratch, of course, as I’ve decided my new fallback plan is to open a pastry or truffle shop–I need my practice.

2. Watch movies.  I watched “Up” twice the whole way through this week, and I watched several bits of it during many of my quick/at-home meals.  Fabulous movie, highly recommended if you’ve not yet seen it!  Other times I’ll watch tv shows, etc.  But being able to stare blankly at the screen and not think about anything is a very nice break.

3. Sleep.  Sometimes, I just decide to go to bed really, really early.  Like 11:00.  I’m not sure if I even went to bed that early in high school.  It’s good though, unless I end up getting too much sleep and being groggy in the morning.

4. Cook. This is different from baking, but obviously you know that.  Every now and then, I’ll feel inspired to make something really elaborate or different.  Not that it was elaborate, but as far as different goes, on Saturday during my non-productivity phase, I decided to try to make a butternut squash soup with all sorts of weird variations.  I’d tell you more, but it was kind of gross and I don’t want you to judge me based on my failed experimentation.

I think that’s the majority of my non-work activities.  I hesitate to call them forms of procrastination, because I know very well what I’m doing and at the time, I have no intention of moving on to work until significantly later.  Like I said, I’ve embraced my ridiculous work habits and as long as my hyper-productivity continues to come often enough, I’ll continue perfecting my chocolate chip cookies, following along with ridiculous tv plots, and becoming a master chef.

P.S. In case you’re wondering, blogging falls kind of in-between.  Sometimes it’s on my to-do list, other times I do it for fun, other times it’d fit on the above list.  Tonight it’s a transition.  I was super-productive at the library (for five hours, nonetheless), and came home to take a nice long break, and will shortly be resuming my work.  I have a feeling I’ll be highly motivated these next few weeks…finals are JUST around the corner!

It’s December–my FAVORITE time of the year!  I’m starting to get into the holiday spirit, especially this weekend.  On Friday night, some friends hosted a holiday dinner party in Charles Commons.  They cooked for a few hours and then had us all over–it was great!

Today, I decided to pull out the bags my mom brought to me over parents weekend, the contents of which were all the components to make a very interesting wreath.  After a couple of hours fiddling with weird garland and annoying ribbon, it was done.  It’s absolutely the most unusual wreath I’ve ever seen…it suits me well.

And last but not least, somewhere above my printer, old books and Orioles banner (and below lots of patches in the wall) are three very sparkly and very happy Christmas ornaments.  They were left over from the wreath-making and I figured my wall could use a little holiday cheer as well.

So Happy December everyone!  I hope the “spirit of the season” brings you as much happiness as it brings me.

Over several of my blogs so far, I’ve referenced some of the “characters” I’ve come across during my time at Hopkins.  Allow me to elaborate and introduce you to just a few of the amazing people I’ve met so far; I hope to follow up later on with more.  I have to say, it was very, VERY difficult to choose just a few for this first blog, hence the hope of another similar entry later on.

1. My suitemates: I live in a single so my suitemates are my only live-in friends.
Kit and Polly have such different personalities; Kit is bursting with energy and Polly is much more relaxed, but they balance together quite well.  The overall dynamic in our suite is very interesting; we all get along very well and we’re all good about cleaning up after ourselves and keeping the noise level down.  Polly’s a science major (like me) and Kit’s more interested in the humanities, adding another interesting layer to our relationships with one another.  As we’re getting towards the end of the semester and exams, we’re seeing each other less and less but our occasional run-ins in our kitchenette are always interesting to say the least. [picture: Kit; unfortunately, at the time of this post, I don't have a picture of Polly]

2. Stephanie and Lauren: Stephanie (read her blog!) and Lauren live in the suite across the hall
and they are roommates.  Stephanie is always smiling and spreading little rays of sunshine to the overstressed kids on the hall.  Lauren is very involved with things on campus, particularly with environmental groups, so she does her part in encouraging our floor to recycle and conserve energy.  Lauren is also a great listener and just an amazing person.  The two of them living together is another interesting combination–you can’t help but instantly become happy when you walk into their room. [picture: Lauren, Stephanie, and some of the crazy boys on our floor]

3. Mike: You’ve seen Mike popping up here and there over the last few blogs; he’s a great person to spend time with.  We tend to spend weeknights in the library on C level trying to keep each other focused but we spend our weekends wandering around the neighborhoods nearby or doing other interesting little things.  We also make an effort to sit outside after lunch and enjoy the weather (whatever it might be).  I really think that little break in the day is a (literal) breath of fresh air and an overall-calming experience.  Mike is also interested in the sciences so we tend to talk about brains a lot. [picture: Mike and I]

4. Professor Leslie:  Professor Leslie teaches my freshman seminar called “On the Road.”  It’s basically a class about the road; we read “road books” and watch films with road elements to them, mostly in the form of road trips.  It’s a class of about 12 students and it’s largely discussion-based.  Professor Leslie is truly engaging and really encourages each individual student to contribute to the group discussion.  He also treated us to a movie at Charles Theater (Into the Wild, see my earlier post!) during one of our classes.  He has been an encouragement and inspiration to explore areas other than my natural sciences track, helping me develop an appreciation and love for new kinds of literature and writing.

5. Professor Falzone: This is my Orgo professor.  Now, before you assume I’m insane, picture this:  In a huge lecture, our professor decides to give a demonstration.  He takes a piece of liver and drops it in hydrogen peroxide, which fizzes and bubbles over eventually.  He then proceeds to tell us he’s going to do another demonstration and pulls out a bottle of olive oil and a small frying pan.  He put the pan on a little electric burner and disappeared for a second, coming back and saying “and because organic chemists often like to cook…” and was sporting a chef’s hat!  He dropped a piece of liver into the frying pan and pulled out a spatula to flip it and be all fancy like one of those cooking shows.  It wasn’t the most pleasant smell as you can imagine, but he finished cooking it and dropped it into the hydrogen peroxide, which didn’t fizz this time.  Honestly, I’m not really sure how this related to our topic at the time or what the point was, but it just made me like him even more.  He’s got a great sense of humor and you can just tell that he’s passionate about what he’s teaching.  I truly love organic chemistry, even if I’m not very good at it.

Well, that about wraps it up for this week, as we head towards finals I’m getting busier and busier, and unfortunately, more and more tired as I try to fit too many hours into the day.  I hope everyone has a great week!

My week was a typical busy week but it did have a few interesting highlights.

1. Early in the week (the days all kind of blurred together), a friend and I were studying in the Hut when I decided it was time for a break.  We walked outside and heard a cat so I wanted to find it and try to make friends.  We couldn’t figure out where it was and thought we were crazy when it kept moving, but looked up and saw it on the roof of Gilman.  We called security and I really hope they were able to rescue the poor thing!
2. The next day, I was going to my freshman seminar in the late afternoon and happened upon a man
   selling plants and turtles and salamanders!  I REALLY wanted to buy a turtle (or two, actually), but remembered we have room checks this week…and by that I mean we’re not allowed to have pets in the dorm and I would never consider breaking such a rule…yeah.  I did buy a cactus though!  My suitemate and I named it Phyllis.
3. Speaking of room inspections, we passed ours!  Although, it wasn’t really a question of whether or not we would because I tend to clean…a lot.  Room inspections entail checking for hazards (halogen lamps, exposed cords, etc.) and general cleanliness of the room.
4. Halloween.  I was getting sick and was exhausted so I left the library around 10:30 and headed straight to bed.  On the way back to my room, however, I did cross the beach where there were tons of students all decked out in their costumes waiting for the shuttles to Fells Point.  It was really amusing to see all of these vaguely familiar faces in silly costumes, and even more fun to see close friends in silly costumes.  My friends who did go to Fells Point said it was definitely an experience–lots of people all dressed up and wandering around the streets.
5. EARLY DECISION DEADLINE: For those of you who applied early decision, I’m sure it’s a huge relief to have that deadline pass.  Best of luck to all of you!  I applied early last year and it was the best decision I’ve ever made.  Try to enjoy the next month while you await your decision, it’s an agonizing wait, but you don’t want to risk missing out on part of your senior year because you’re wishing it away.

…So that was about it for my week; a lot of it was spent tracking down every possible cold medicine and then figuring out how many could be taken, which could be combined, etc…and it looks like that’ll continue into this week as well.

The weekend, however, was parents weekend, which we had all planned out.  My dad was driving up in time to go to some of the parent classes, we were going to have lunch at the FFC, maybe go to the mall near his hotel and then pick up my mom from the airport at 11 when her flight got in.  The next day we were going to meet for breakfast and find some nice little neighborhood place and then go to the football game.  Well, it’s now Sunday night and my parents left about 10 hours ago and I’ll have to be honest: we didn’t do anything we had planned.

We ended up going shopping on Friday afternoon–first Target and then Arundel Mills out near Columbia.  The next day, we set out for breakfast and wandered several blocks before deciding we didn’t really know where the place was.  However, we did happen upon the farmers market, another one of the things on my to-do list!  We wandered around there and got some pastries and apple cider before heading back to campus.  From there it was another shopping day.  Of course.  We were driving back but the navigation system wasn’t working too well so we just kinda drove a bit until my dad started recognizing the area.  The navigation decided to work when he put in his old address and it told us we were two miles away so we drove by the house my dad grew up in.  Along the way we saw an old bowling alley that had duckpin bowling, so naturally we stopped to play a game.  My dad played it a lot when he was still in Baltimore (so when he was younger than 10) and that was the last time he played.  He still managed to beat my mom and I by quite a lot.  For those of you who don’t know what duckpin bowling is (I didn’t), it’s like regular bowling but with a much smaller ball and smaller pins and it’s surprisingly MUCH harder.

As fun as the weekend was, Sunday meant saying goodbye and getting back to work–and lots of it.  I’ve got a few writing assignments and an orgo midterm this week, so it’s going to be another one of those weeks that I’ll probably avoid blogging about until it’s over and I’ve had a weekend worth writing about!