#i should have stuck to history and chemistry and went into art conservation like i wanted to

[aggressiveguitarnoises]

the more i find out about AI, the more im scared to fully turn to digital art as a career

[oertendahlii]

So, a looooong time ago, longer now than it seems, I was tagged by both @stolligaseptember and @aprilskyforever to do the 11 questions tag.

And tonight I have less things to do than I’ve had in a long, long time, so I’m taking some time to finally do it!

The Game: Answer the questions, create your own 11 questions, and tag 11 people!

The Questions

So, since I’m doing 11x2 questions, I’ll continue down below

These are the ones from the lovely September: 1. What’s the first thing you do in the morning? There isn’t really something I do by routine the first thing in the morning, it differs. But if I manage to go up before all of my alarms gone off then the first thing I do is turn them off. Other than that, I’d say I drink water.  2. Describe the latest photo on your phone? It’s a photo of the cake I made for father’s day! It’s a cake with pale orange buttercream, chocolate drippel and lots of edible rocks I made some time ago for another cake. Oh and sprinkled orange zest! Not my finest creation, but I had little to work with and not a lot of time to spare, so under the circumstances I’d say it looks kinda pretty. 3. A book everyone should read I don’t really feel like any of the books I’ve read “qualifies” as a book     everyone should read? What even makes a book qualify as something everyone should read? But I’d say the closest one to earn the “title” is “Britt-Marie var här” (Britt-Marie was here) by Fredrik Backman. It’s just such a lovely book. At least I could say that everyone that has read “A man called Ove” and liked it should read Britt-Marie was here. Or maybe I’d say Mio, my son because I love Astrid Lindgren and there’s really something about that book that enchants me.   4. What would you say is your best talent? I have no idea? Like I’ve been staring at this question and just!?!? I don’t know. So I googled “talent” and it said: “Talent is the natural ability to do something well.” And!? I’m sorry but I don’t have a natural ability to do something well (that I can think of, at least). Like I’m not particularly good at anything (like really, I’m not), and the few things I’d say I’m alright at didn’t come natural (I think). I’m  content with being just kinda good at (some) stuff, tho :)   5. Favorite subject in school? You know what, I take the previous answer back. My talent is that I’m not able to make up my mind about things. I rarely have one favourite. And concerning this, I can’t really remember having a favourite subject? And many times I’ve liked a class not necessary because of the subject, but rather because of the teacher or my classmates. But I can mention some of the subjects I’ve liked at some point throughout my “academic life”:   - Art, math, baking (we’re talking kid age)  - History, civics, geography, chemistry, physics, math, art (12-15 years     old)  - History, math, science, TV-production (16-18)    After that I studied at a higher vocational education programme about     environment where my favourite subjects was geology, environmental     pollutions and a course in sustainable development (mostly because it     included some ecology).    This question made me remember that I didn’t like biology when I had it in school (which was when I was 12-15), which is kinda ironic because guess who just started studying a biology programme!?! Although I guess it kinda makes sense because the biology we had then was pretty much focused on the human body and I’m all about nature.      Since I pretty much just started with named programme, I can’t really pick a favourite yet. But I’m looking so much forward to ecology and conservation biology! Like I could probably say my favourite subject is ecology, but!?!? I’ve never actually had ecology as a school subject (yet!) so I can’t answer that.  6. Favorite holiday? Now that we’ve settled that I can’t pick just one favourite, I’d say Lucia, Valborg and Midsummer. Although I haven’t actually celebrated any of them for real in years, so that’s a shame. Oh and I really like Christmas as well! 7. Song stuck in your head at the moment? None! I don’t really get songs stuck in my head? Like that doesn’t happen? I don’t really understand the concept actually?   8. Favorite comfort food? Honestly I’d say it depends on the mood and the weather and the season and the time of the day. But like vegetable soup and bread is a win win most times. 9. Have you witnessed something truly incredible? Well I’ve seen some meteor rain and I think those are incredible! So spectacular and beautiful!     10. Best childhood memory? There’s not really a specific memory I’d call “the best childhood memory”.  Like I don’t remember a lot? It’s just small fragments with meanings long forgotten and I can’t really call any of them anything special and definitely not the best. And I can’t really sit down and just remember things? Most of my memories just flash by when they feel like it, I can’t really pull them out of nowhere and just remember things. I’d say my strongest memory, one of the rare I can actually recall without any form of provocation, is when I dropped a red rose on my grandfather’s coffin when I was like 4 or 5. But I’d certainly wouldn’t call that the best one. If I actually could remember my grandfather, I’d probably pick a memory with him because even if I don’t remember why I liked him so much I do remember that I did. 

11. If animals could talk, which would be the rudest?  I first answered this question with like a long rant about humanity (as an argument for choosing the species closest related to us) because     apparently I can’t talk about anything concerning zoology or ecology     without getting upset with humanity and the fact that we endanger literary all species upon this earth    But instead of doing that (I kinda just did that anyway didn’t I?) I’ll say deer fly (Lipoptena cervi). I just can’t imagine that they wouldn’t be rude because I feel like their entire existence is rude (which of course isn’t fair of me – but since I do get personally attacked by them I don’t feel that bad about verbally attacking them). Or like, maybe ticks, for the same reason. 

So that was Septembers questions, thank you dear! : )  

Now it’s time for the sweet @aprilskyforevers  questions! 1. would you rather live in a two story penthouse in a city of your choice (but it’s never really quiet and the elevator is broken when you move in), or in a mansion on the country side where the wi-fi sometimes is dodgy and the nearest large city is a two hour drive away? I’m a small-towner to the bone, I don’t even think I could live for a long time in a city where there’s even such a thing as a two story penthouse. So the mansion it is! Just think about all the trees I could plant and all the vegetables I could grow! And all the flowers! I could grow a meadow! And plant a lot of bushes. The ones that bees and butterflies like. And roses! And I could build some creotopes. Maybe even a little pond. I could make my yard a little paradise for bees and butterflies, endangered plants and flowers (I’m just going to assume that the mansion comes with a big yard).

And I mean with a mansion I would be able to offer rooms to friends and other people in need? Like how amazing wouldn’t it be if a friend needed somewhere to live for a while and you could just go YOU CAN STAY IN MY MANSION, HERE YOU GO YOU CAN HAVE THE SECOND LEVEL. ALL BY YOURSELF (although I can’t guarantee that my cats, because yes there will be cats, won’t trespass because it’s their mansion first and foremost). Come stay at my mansion! I’ll cook soup with vegetables fresh from the yard and bake a lot of bread. And cookies. And cakes. And buns of course. Come taste all my apples! And all the other fruits and berries! Look at the pretty butterflies! LET’S RUN AROUND LIKE FOOLS IN MY MEADOW AND MAKE SOME FLOWERCROWNS. Oh and in the winter we could go ice skating on my little pond. And drink hot chocolate AND GAZE AT THE STARS. I mean my mansion is far from large cities so there won’t be a lot of light pollutions, do you realize how clear the sky will be in the winter? Crisp air, hot chocolate and endless of stars.  

Sjidhudhudh. Can someone just give me a mansion. Or a little cabin. Or a tree house. mdlemdffji. I just want to plant trees, grow vegetables, save the bees, adopt cats, bake stuff and make. people. happy. 

2. favourite dessert? Oh, this is so hard! It really depends? Especially on what season it is, I think? And probably on my mood, the weather and what time of the day it is. But these or some of the things I really like: cinnamon buns, blueberry pie, carrot cake, soft gingerbread cake, gingerbread thins, apple cake, chocolate mud cake, chocolate balls, snickers cake, Swedish raspberry caves (?), chocolate mousse and ice cream. Oh and also I really like desserts I haven’t made myself? Like eating someone else’s stuff really makes it more special? Might be because I make pretty much all the sweet things we eat in my family, so whenever it’s something else it feels special.

3. tell me about your relation to the sea. have you ever seen the ocean? been on a boat? ferry? do you know how to swim? I don’t live close to the sea, so I don’t have a particularly strong relation to the sea. I don’t think I’ve seen the ocean? I have been on ferries a couple of times and I do know how to swim, I’ve never bathed in the sea however. When I was younger, an annual 5-day orienteer competition I competed in was hosted in Gothenburg one year, and then we lived in a camping place rather close to the sea. I spent the evenings jumping on rocks by the shore and got to see jellyfish for the first time. One evening I actually fell into the sea, that was the first and only time I’ve ever been in the sea. Since the stay in Gothenburg I hadn’t really seen the sea except when I’ve been on ferries, until this year. Just some months ago I stayed a week by the sea as a part of a marine excursion and went out with a research vessel some times and saw lots of animals I’ve never knew of before. And I found out that I don’t get sea sick even on a very stormy sea, which is very surprising since I get car sickness very easily. Oh, and I really like stormy seas? The movements and the sounds! And I like picking shells on the shores.

So I think my relation to the sea is somewhat stronger now. But I’m more of a forest kind of person, if that makes sense. I sure like the sea, but I can’t see myself living close to the sea. I can say I prefer to travel with a boat on the sea rather than a ferry. But the thing I like most about the sea is the sea as an ecosystem and all its fascinating inhabitants.

4. what’s the best trip you’ve done in your life so far? I don’t really know (when do I ever), mostly because I have trouble remembering things, even good things. But this summer while being on the same 5-day orienteer competition I’ve mention before, this time hosted in Örnsköldsvik, me and my sister took a trip to a cave. There where ladders in the cave and a line to follow and we could borrow some cave helmets with lamps. We got to climb up and down several hundred of meters through this dark cave and it was so so fun! So that’s at least one of the best trips I’ve done so far! 5. what do you rather do in the mountains; hike or ski? I’ve never been hiking or skiing (in the mountains at least) so I don’t know? Like I prefer cross country skiing and not downhill, and like I could see the enjoyment in hiking but I’m not a huge fan of wandering? Idk I get restless in some way? Like most times I feel it’s to slow and that I’d rather run.  The only time I really enjoy wandering is in forests, where I can look at the plants, the moss, the fungi, the lichens and the fauna. I guess there might be some of that in the mountains? So hiking maybe? But like skiing in the mountains sounds pretty fun too I guess? So skiing in the winter, hiking the other seasons? Sorry, I just can’t give you a straight answer. I would probably need to try both things out to be able to pick one or the other.

6. favourite decade for music before 2000? That’s hard, most of my favourites are active now! But I think I’d say 1990s because that’s the decade of Kristina från Duvemåla and the prime decade of trallpunk. Also Nordman was active around that time and some of my favourite metal bands had their debut then. Oh and let’s not forget the stars of my childhood – Markoolio and Rednex started out in the 90s!  

7. have you/do you want to move away from the city where you grew up? why/why not? No, not really? Like I could find myself living in another small town somewhere, but like, my life is here? So no, not at the moment. I’d like to temporary move to other small towns around Sweden, but I think I would  always return to my roots.  I’m too sentimental, I would miss my family, my friends, the nature, the landscapes , the geology and so much more.  

8. what would you name your kids if you had any? Well, I’ve never wanted any kids so I’ve never thought about it, and honestly I can’t imagine what I would name any kids because I can’t imagine myself having any kids. But, I sure like naming things! I can tell you that I would name future cats Mumrik and Mymlan. I have two adorable little fir trees I’ve named Harald and Hilding. I call one of my plants Arabella Nicodemus. I’ve had hamsters named Lilje and Freja. I also like the names Fenja, John and Karl. But I don’t think I would give any of those names to kids? For kids I’d say Hugo. I don’t know what I would name a girl!?! While we’re on the subject of Hugo, here’s an unnecessary fact:   I once had an idea of writing a small story about ecology / biodiversity with a bumblebee called Hugo (Hugo humla och den försvunna ängen – en berättelse om ekologi och biologisk mångfald / Hugo the bumblebee and the lost meadow – a story about ecology and biodiversity) 

9. name three guilty pleasure songs: I think I can just say most songs with Ronny and Ragge instead. I mean what even are those songs but also, the nostalgia? And also, so catchy?

10. where is the perfect spot for a proposal, in your opinion? I don’t really have any opinions on proposal because proposals are so far away from my life like!?!? Not happening. But I guess a place with some kind of significant meaning would be a perfect spot? And it should be private! (unless you’ve discussed it beforehand at least)

11. name your favourite disney main characher, favourite side kick and favourite villain: There isn’t really any Disney character I would call my favourite? But my favourite Disney movies have always been Aristocats, Atlantis, Brother Bear and the Jungle Book. But favourite characters? That’s taugh. For main I think it could be Kenai, Milo or maybe Robin Hood. Oh or Aladdin (but honestly that’s mostly because of Peter Jöback). Favourite side kick would be Thomas O’malley, Koda, Audrey, Baloo or Bagheera. But villain, I don’t know? It’s not Shere Khan, and probably not Tiberius. I would like to say Frollo because of SOM ELDAR! DET BRINNER! SOM GLÖD IN I MITT SKIN! Hellfire but I haven’t actually seen the Hunchback of Notre Dame yet so I can’t really say that. But Jafar maybe? Or King Richard. Probably Jafar.

So that was it! Thank you dear for those questions! : ) Now, here’s my questions:

1. How was your day? 2. Favourite food to bring on a trip? 3. What would you want me to ask you about? Like if you could pick a question that I would ask, what question would that be? 4. If you did pick a question, what’s the answer to the question? If you didn’t, that’s fine, I’ve noticed that it’s very hard to come up with questions. Maybe you could post a picture of a cute animal or a pretty plant or the sky or something instead?

5. Please name three birds you find beautiful?  6. What’s three inspirational quotes/facts or similar you like?

7. What’s your favourite root vegetable(s)? 8. Share at least one new thing you’ve learned this month!

9. What’s the best advice someone has given you (or that you’ve found in some other way)?     10. Describe yourself in 10 words (don’t make sentences, just list some words). Can be personality, hobbies, aesthetic, whatever! : )

11. Let’s pretend you could visit any planet, star, comet or other thing not created by humans in our solar system. Let’s pretend you could travel there in little to no time and you could explore it without getting harmed, what would you choose to visit and why? I tag: @gottagobackintime @hippygirl14 @cookiemcfumb @askyfullofcomets @liljakonvalj @norrlandshobbit @asgoodasanyone @entidforalt  and I mean it was such a long time ago you tagged me, so I’ll throw in @stolligaseptember and @aprilskyforever as well because why not! :) I know it’s not 11 people but I don’t know who else to tag sorry

[castingdirect]

CONTRASTS: Schools and Uni's In The UK Dealing With 'Rape Culture' Yet Advise Students How To Do Sex Work

Desperate students sell sex to pay fees as lockdown kills off jobs in pubs and shops Many students like Sophie are left with no choice but to turn to the sex industry as they struggle for financial independence among the epidemic. Desperate students selling sex to make ends meet are behind a surge of pleas for help to the 'prostitutes' union.' The English Collective of Prostitutes said calls to its helpline from young people at University and college had risen by a third in 2021, and the campaigning group has seen a surge in the numbers selling sex since lockdowns sent student finances into freefall. Many sell explicit pictures of themselves on sites like OnlyFans as traditional bar and restaurant work dried up. Now, as many as eight students a day are calling for support and advice, and some Universities are even publishing guides on how to safely sell your body. Laura Watson is a spokeswoman for the group and said: 'We have seen a significant increase in students going into prostitution as tuition fees have increased. Some women in our group are working to pay of debts of over £30,000. Since the pandemic a lot of women have been getting in touch starting sex work too.' 'Jobs in shops and pubs, that students would traditionally have taken have been been available, especially during the pandemic. There just aren't a lot of options out there - and women have to find a way to survive.' The ECP, founded in 1975, campaigns for the decriminalisation of sex workers and improved rights and safety. Calls included inquiries from students who are new to sex work and want to know their rights - but some seek help after being hounded by clients. Ms Watson explained: 'During the first lockdown, there was a mass wave of women going online and OnlyFans was one of the big ones people went to.' 'We've been dealing with stalking and harassment cases specifically related to this where people say clients are persistently getting in touch with them.' 'Some women have had their content stolen and reposted somewhere else. Others say clients have somehow gotten their personal details and posted them in other forums.' Valued at over £725 million, OnlyFans has boomed in the pandemic. It was founded by Essex businessman Tim Stokely, and as of December, it had more than one million people posting private pictures, up from 120,000 in 2019. The increase in students opting to carry out sex work online has raised other safety concerns,' Ms Watson said. She explained: 'People are having to compromise anonymity to make the money they need. Those making money from sex work in person before the pandemic went on OnlyFans and realised you have to produce so much content to make money, and it's really hard to do that without including your face and voice in the videos.' 'Things people have never dreamt of being on a website are now creeping online because it's the way to make money.' A poll of 3,200 students in 2020 claimed 4% were selling sex to fund their courses, and one in ten said they would do it in a cash emergency. The ECP saw a 'significant increase' in the numbers turning to sex work after University costs skyrocketed under austerity measures introduced by the Conservative and Lib Dem Coalition Government a decade ago. Former Lib Dem Leader Nick Clegg built his 2010 election campaign around a promise to abolish the £,000-a-year tuition fees - only to treble them instead. Undergraduates can pay up to £9,250 per year and hundreds of thousands end up with massive debts, meanwhile, the average student rent was £547 a month in 2020, or £640 in London, according to Times Higher Education. The Workers of England Union is calling for reform to tackle student living costs. General Secretary Stephen Morris said: 'Universities shouldn't leave it to potentially unscrupulous landlords to require extortionate fees. Living costs need to be controlled because landlords are trying to get as much as they can out of it, which can increase debt for students.' The financial cost increase means students might either give up or go into certain lines they shouldn't be. It's appalling if students feel they have no choice but to turn to sex work. You wonder what other illegal avenues other will turn to.' Universities that have published guidance relating to sex workers have come under fire, with some critics accusing them of legitimising sex work and encouraging the trade. Brighton University was criticised for allowing a sex workers' health and support service to run a stall at a freshers' fair. The University of Leicester issued a guide called 'Student Sex Work Toolkit for Staff in Higher Education'. It details how to support those who are turning to escorting, online services and stripping. Staff are advised not to be judgemental or 'assume a student wants to leave the sex industry', They should also 'challenge university policy which allows sex workers to be expelled for "bring the University into disrepute",' it says. The English Collective of Prostitutes has also produced advice which is 'circulating widely' among students. Spokeswoman Ms Watson added: 'Often women are very secretive about sex work and don't want their family involved.' The Student Sex Work Research Hub states that 'morality clauses' in tenancy agreements mean that sex workers can face eviction, lose their deposit, and even end up homeless. It states: 'If a student is evicted from their halls, it can be put on their accommodation record, which can prevent them from having accommodation in the future and can even be accessed by different departments of the University.' 'In the worst case, student sex workers can be permanently expelled. This has far reaching ramifications for a student's ability to get an education.' A Universities UK Spokesperson said: 'Universities recognise the financial hardship many students have experienced, particularly during the pandemic, and are providing increased financial support and other support as well as speaking with Government about further support.' 'Universities encourage legal, healthy and safe behaviours and support students to make the right choices. The focus, based on Universities' duty of care to their students, is on keeping students safe, educating them about the risks, and maintaining an open line of communication and support.' I COULD BARELY AFFORD TO BUY FOOD - NOW I EARN £7,200 A MONTH Chemistry graduate Sophie McBurnie, 22, turned to OnlyFans in desperation as a third-year student. Despite having a part-time supermarket job, the Lancaster University student's loan still left her short on her £5,000-a-year rent. She said: 'I'm from a middle class family so my maintenance loan was the lowest possible. My parents are good earners, but they didn't have spare cash to lend. I was £2,000 short on my rent in my third year so I had to come up with the money. Over the three years it just got worse and worse. I worked all Summer at Asda but still ended up negative.' Sophie said: 'It was really bad. By the third year I'd maxed out my overdraft, I owed two people £200 and I could barely buy food.' Sophie, who models under the name Piri, has 1,300 subscribers, each paying £8.73 per month and has hired an accountant to manage her affairs. Sh now makes £7,276 per month and estimates she has made £43,659 from the platform in just 10 months. 'The first month was very disheartening as it didn't take off immediately,' she said: 'A lot of people quit but I stuck with it and it was the best decision I never made.' Sophie, originally from Rochdale, added: 'My parents were very unhappy with it and wanted me to stop. But I've told them how much I'm earning and I feel they understand now.' SUGAR DADDY BOUGHT ME THINGS UNTIL HE COUND'T AFFORD IT Indi, 20, said turning to internet sex work to fund her education was 'a no brainer'. The third-year history student makes £400 a month selling images and videos to OnlyFans subscribers. Indi, who models under the name Pea, said: 'I started at the beginning of lockdown because I was bored and skint. I've just kept doing it. Now I'm thinking about doing other things. Camming seems like a fun thing - to sit there and people virtually throw money at me.' 'But I don't think I'd ever be an escort because that seems quite scary. I feel safe what I'm doing and I'm having fun.' Indi, from West Yorkshire, keeps her work a secret from her family, but added: 'It's mostly underwear shots and stuff - it's all high quality. I'll do explicit videos and custom-made content to customers who pay more.' 'I've had sugar daddies. A guy bought me things for a month from Amazon Wish List until he said he couldn't afford it anymore.' 'But I find it to be a safe space. It's me who is in charge and it fits in nicely with Uni work. It's just a part-time job with a difference. I can just do little photoshoots whenever I want.' IT SHOWS ENTREPRENEURSHIP Aalyia lived at home to save money - but was still so skint that she stripped for cash. The 24-year-old took her clothes off on the web while struggling to pay tuition fees for her art and design course at Leeds Beckett. Aaliyah, from South Yorkshire, carried on even after graduating in 2019 and quit her job in graphic design to go full time on OnlyFans. She said: 'I started at Uni because few other people were doing it and making a lot of money. It's not cheap to go to Uni and the debt you can leave with can stay with you for the rest of your life.' 'Students, especially young women, are realising that they can earn money quickly to fund their studies. I don't see a problem with it, I think it shows entrepreneurship.' Aaliyah, who lived at home while at Uni, still had to take a £3k-a-year loan to meet her outgoings. She said: 'Even though I didn't have rent, I had to pay tuition fees and commute to Uni. I took up some part time jobs to get by but I wish I found OnlyFans sooner, to be honest. Read the full article

[chandlermovestomichigan]

Thanksgiving break seems like a good time to reflect on my semester.

With only a month remaining, I’m past the point where things started to get crazy. This week was certainly one of the more difficult weeks, with a project due Thursday, a test Friday, and two papers the following Tuesday. It’s not going to get easier anytime soon, but that’s okay.

This semester, I’m completing two of my three remaining requirements for my history major and my last class that’s part of the core curriculum

Constitutional Convention - Dr. Rahe I was really excited about this course when it was first announced. Unfortunately, I was not prepared for the very extensive reading requirements for each class. I regretted taking it for a little while, but I’m glad I stuck with it. I’ve enjoyed discussing the notes from the Constitutional Convention, and having a better understanding of why the Constitution is the way it is.

Ancient Rome - Dr. Calvert This has been a great class. My favorite part is that instead of tests, we write papers. I definitely think all history classes should be this way. It’s so much more valuable to spend time with a text and analyze it than to just memorize facts, which often happens on tests. I was surprised to learn that we have two papers due during finals week, though. Until about two weeks ago, I thought there would just be one.

Human Biology - Dr. Johnson I’ve complained before on this blog (when I took Physics/Chemistry) about how awful my experiences have been with science classes. I hoped this class would be different, but it is not. There’s a tendency in the core science classes to assume that— even though they’re taught to non-science majors— everyone in the class has a pretty decent understanding of the subject from high school, and that this class is just a review and extension of everything we learned before. My last biology class was seven years ago, and it was bad. I have no knowledge to build on, and I have learned nothing in this class. I hear the tests are difficult even for people who understand the material, so you can imagine how that’s going for me.

Philosophy of Education - Dr. Beier I’ve been interested in taking this class for a while, and I’m glad I finally could. It’s been really interesting. It’s definitely a philosophy class, not so much a “how to teach” class, which I like. We’ve read Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas, and, most recently, John Dewey. It’s all discussion-based, which is fun. I gave a presentation recently on “The Well-Trained Mind” by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise. I think it went well.

Lastly, I’m still taking voice lessons with Kristi Matson, and that has been good, although more challenging than previous semesters.

I’m also now the web editor for the Collegian, so I edit the online-only section Study Break. It’s a good time. It’s pretty flexible, so I can pretty much run whatever I want to. It’s certainly a challenge to get writers to turn pieces in on time. There were a couple of times at the beginning of the semester when I scrambled to write something since the pieces I was counting on didn’t come in. I started assigning more pieces than I needed, and that worked for a while, but there have still been a surprising number of instances where I get pieces back very late, incomplete, or not at all.

I tend to try a new planner technique every year, and I’ve finally settled on my favorite yet. It’s called bullet journaling, and I wrote an explanation of it on Study Break. It’s been fun to adapt my layouts as the semester goes on to find out what works best for me. I like doodling, and I like the super customizable aspect.

As I’ve mentioned before, I don’t blog as much as I used to because I journal much more consistently. I started my “One Line a Day” journal over a year ago, so now I can read what I was doing on a year before when I write my entries, which I love. And, I can refer to my journal when I blog.

September highlights 9/2- Some guys who live off-campus in a house called “The Womb” threw a music festival called Wombstock. I had a blast listening to loud music, and later, hanging with friends at Rough Draft, my favorite coffee/cocktail place in town. 9/17- I went to the Toledo Museum of Art, thanks to the Art department! I posted a few photosets from this day earlier on the blog. We went mainly for the Berlin painter exhibit and saw a lot of really neat Greek vases, and I also enjoyed seeing two paintings by Monet and two by Van Gogh. 9/21- At every SAI meeting, someone performs a “musicale.” I performed my first this semester. I did “Sawdust & Diamonds” by Joanna Newsom. I love her and I have long wanted to perform one of her songs, but they are generally very long and require a harp. So, this was a good chance to play only the last third of this song and with a piano, since it was pretty low-key. 9/23- Every semester, SAI hosts a Rose Tea. It’s a chance to get to know our potential new members and reminisce, as seniors share a memory. It was more emotional than I intended, but in a good way. 9/29- I went to the Most Popular Fair on Earth! It was super fun seeing animals, eating donuts, and more with dear friends. My favorite part was seeing a baby cow who had been born just a few hours earlier!

October highlights 10/5- SAI pledging ceremony! My friend Elena Creed and I are now co-bigs to Jessica MacFarlane, which is very exciting! Initiation is happening soon. 10/7- The Phi Mu Alpha electric serenades are always a delight, and this year was no exception. I watched them at both the SAI house and at Mauck because I was so excited. 10/16- I took a journalism seminar with Matthew Continetti about the history of conservative journalism. There was a lot of really good reading, and I enjoyed the discussions as well. 10/20-22- Mom and dad flew in for Parent’s Weekend. We took family photos, got dinner at Handmade (a sandwich shop that I had never been to that was delicious), and hung out reading and listening to live music at Rough Draft. 10/25- Fall Break began, and I house sat for a professor. 10/16- I drove with friends to Frankenmuth, Michigan, a cute little Bavarian tourist-y town. And, my boyfriend Jonathan flew in and met us there! That was wonderful! We ate delicious German food and fudge and went to the world’s largest Christmas store. 10/27-28- I showed Jonathan around all the important spots, like the Arb, Baw Beese, Checker Records, and Rough Draft. 10/31- I went with friends to a Halloween party at Rough Draft (which I realize now I have mentioned a lot) and that was very fun!

November highlights 11/4- SAI concert! I sang Regina Spektor’s “Us” with Maddie Greb on violin and Sarah Schutte on piano. It was delightful. Here is a video. I also sang in our two group pieces (“Give My Regards to Broadway” and “New York, New York”) and in an ensemble for a Hamilton song. 11/7- Fall Convocation, and I suddenly felt like an actual senior. 11/10- I went to Phi Mu Alpha’s annual Battle of the Bands, and it was a blast, as always. 11/11- I saw the Opera Workshop performance of Pirates of Penzance, and it was incredible. 11/17- I saw the theatre department’s performance of Proof, which I really loved.

It’s been a good semester, and it’s hard to believe I only have one left.