Flash from the Past: April 7th

In fifth grade, I designed an experiment that placed peanut butter in various containers (cardboard boxes, milk jugs etc.) to see into which one a squirrel could make its way first. Simple, do-it-yourself science.

How the times have changed…

On April 7th, Sweet Briar hostessed a science fair for grade and middle school students in the Daisy Gymnasium. It was a sea of cardboard presentation posters, scientific theory mash-ups and of course, lots of small children running around.

Somehow, someone thought I was qualified to judge (it must have been the squirrel experiment) and having successfully navigated the treacherous waters of organic chemistry, genetics, and the like- I quite agreed and was excited at the prospect of some well-executed baking soda and vinegar volcanoes.

No volcanoes- only a lot of very intelligent and creative kids. As I began judging (with my trusty cohort, Jill M.), we began to realize how talented these kids were. One girl had decided to conduct tests on the importance of nitrogenation in water on the basis that it was crucial for her beloved fish tanks. An avid baseball fan tested how far a baseball would travel on sand and grass and discussed how that would affect players of the sport. One girl strapped her mum up to an EKG and made her drink coffee! (OK, I’m sure it didn’t quite go down like that, but still…)

It was a fun day and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the budding scientists and listening to them explain their projects (which, admittedly, kind of put my peanut butter act to shame…)

Oh, and the “Be N Er Dy” ? That’s what we had printed on the back of our volunteer t-shirts which are all elements of the periodic table that cleverly command: “Be Nerdy!” =]

Spring in Virginia has a tendency to sneak up on you and then suddenly explode like ACME dynamite on a Saturday morning cartoon. The trees are in bloom, the grass is green and the Sweet Briar women are all running around getting everything done before we leave for the summer (or before some us stay on to do summer honors research).

Due to some extenuating circumstances and the general craziness that is springtime, I have been neglectful of my blogging duty. C’EST HORRIBLE! But I have come up with a final strategy- a last little push to get myself to the end of the semester. Ready?

Time Machine.

Yep. From now until the end of the semester, I will be looking back in time and giving you a little snippet of an event that happened this spring. So first up: Junior Week.

MARCH 21st through 25th

Straight back from spring break, many of the juniors participated in junior week which works as follows. Seniors meet and choose juniors from whom they remain secret until revealing at junior banquet on Friday. Then they secretly (via bogus e-mail accounts) send you a list of “themed day” where you are requested to dress up as the character or item prescribed. ALL OF THIS IS OPTIONAL! For me, though, it was like Halloween for an entire week =] Following the week of crazy costumes and performances, the juniors attend junior banquet where we receive our class rings and our seniors reveal themselves with a basket of goodies. My fabulous senior was Sarah Jones and I could not have had a better week on her account!

Now the fun part- PICTURES!

There is a common misconception that those states residing south of Maryland (or Virginia, or North Carolina depending on where you call home) are markedly warmer during the winter. That those of us who travel there for January break spend our time sunbathing and drinking from glasses with tiny colorful umbrellas. I envy those people. Although I was on the border of Georgia and South Carolina, we had two days that reached above 50- brrr! Georgia even had snow- and it STUCK!

Other than the cold however, winter break was fun. I spent two weeks with the family in Massachusetts, watching Masterpiece Theater and enjoying all of the activities I don’t always have time to devote to (piano, drawing, youtube videos…) I then spent the second half bringing horses back into work at my trainer’s farm in Aiken, SC. This required working five horses a day a piece (exhausting but also very rewarding!) and completing the rest of their care. It was enjoyable to be able to spend time to focus on just one thing for an extended period of time. Although I often speak to the value of participating in many diverse activities and studies, there is certainly something to be said to committing to something fully and solely.

In addition to helping Jenny with exercising horses, I also got to spend a couple of days with a veterinarian in Aiken- Dr. Lisa Handy. Not only was it useful to gain a perspective from a very different part of the horse-world, it was also encouraging to learn of how much she had enjoyed and esteemed her time spent at the University of Pennsylvania. Having finally in my junior year of college, decided that I want to go to vet school and study equine sports medicine and podiatry, it is reassuring to know that the means to becoming a vet will also prove to be an enjoyable and rewarding  next four years of my life.

Time to go to class! But first, a preview of things to come!

-Inventing Antiquity (Intrigued? You’ll never dream the same again…)

-Faculty Show (Yes, our professors do get on stage and purposely make fun of themselves and others)

-Spring Shenanigans (It’s the Briar, something is bound to happen =])

Three more weeks! I cannot believe it! In lieu of having multiple assignments due, lines to memorize for opera and tests to study for, I’ve decided to give the annotated version of past events and some to look forward to.

4.12 Master’s Class: Got to listen to a number of FABULOUS new voices and Dean Green, gracious as always, gave insightful comments and new exactly how to get us to produce the best possible sound. (I for one, am working on my “swarthiness”)

4.14 Co-Curricular Life Awards Ceremony: A chance to celebrate the students on campus who demonstrated exceptional leadership and dedication to the community both at SBC and beyond. (Plus, we got yummy snacks!)

4.16 Senior Art Show: The studio art majors install their own show each year. This year’s theme was “Worlds Within Worlds”

4.17 Field Hockey Tournament: While the Vixens did not come out on top, it was definitely a blast to begin getting a feel for the new team dynamic. I even got to help with a shooting drill as part of the all-day program and starting getting the SBC name out there. GO SWEET!

4.19 Sarah Schofield’s Junior Recital: An amazing program with a beautiful dress (dusty pink!) and an excellent turnout. I thought Marcia was going to have a heart attack at one point but everyone survived and performed in superb form.

4.20 Sweet Tones Odes: The Sweet Tones’ babies performed their odes and everyone’s was FANTASTIC! Though I have to say, mine was quite exceptional =] Then again, I have an exceptional baby ^_^

Things to look forward to…

-SPRING FLING WEEKEND (4.22-24)

-OPERA: COX AND BOX (4.30-5.1)

-SINGING RECITAL (5.3)

Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus.

Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon.