College for real.

I'm at Cornell right now finishing up a caramel apple... just got back from the Ithaca apple festival. Had breakfast at College Town Bagels this morning with about a million Cornell kids. Catching an afternoon movie, heading to dinner and hitting up the college bars tonight. I think this is what real College feels like... especially because of the gorgeous (gorges) fall weather.

Cornell is beautiful - quaint, picturesque, clean and green. All of the apartments / restaurants / bars are around the block from one another and within walking distance to campus. And there is a Wegman's... so it's pretty much a perfect town. Cornell has got me thinking... would I have been better off at a real college? As my lovely friend at Wagner astutely pointed out, NYU is basically a commuter school. Even if you live on campus, there is not actually a campus or a community and few people (myself included) partake in any on campus events or clubs. It's sort of like going to work or commuting to university... you only head down to campus to spend an hour and a half in a classroom and then go home, like you would in an office building where you work. I always thought I liked that. But now I'm not so sure. I'll admit it definitely leaves room for NYU students to have extensive lives outside of college... i.e. few people that go to school elsewhere could have the type of job I have now while they study. But is that reason enough to forego having a college town?

I've noticed up here that students really have the opportunity to grow and advance in a slightly less intimidating setting before facing the harsh realities of the real world. In the hotel school at Cornell, for instance, the students speak with CEOs of companies and wealthy alumni to plan a massive gala at the hotel... a full weekend of parties and events planned and executed by a massive team of "hotellies" (hotel school students). Definitely a huge undertaking, but it's sort of inbetween the real world and college... mistakes are acceptable because it is on a college campus and it's a great learning experience. Why don't we have anything like that at NYU?

Or maybe we do but I just don't know about it. NYU is the type of school where you get out of it what you've put in. But there are so many distractions in NYC that I haven't bothered to put much into it. I've put effort into the firm and into the city in general - just trying to take advantage of all it has to offer (like the upcoming Great Gatsby party at the Met to celebrate the opening of the New American wing!). Maybe it's my own fault for not trying to get more out of my school, but I think part of the appeal of NYU and part of the intent is that students have the opportunity to branch out and pursue their own interests while at school. I'm just not sure whether I see that as a drawback or an asset.

I was joking with my sis and roommates about how we never seem to make any friends in class. I was half kidding, but it's sort of true. Everyone at NYU is very independent. And whether pretentious, shy, or just trying to make it seem like they have more important things to worry about as a defense mechanism, no one really socializes in class. Everyone has their ipods in or is addicted to their laptops, so there isn't too much room to make friends. People tend to hang with whoever they live with at the time. Totally not so here in upstate NY. In both Binghamton and Cornell there are so many different ways to branch out and meet new people. The sororities, fraternities, bar scene... all are conducive to socializing. And if you're in a small school within Cornell (unlike College of Arts and Science at NYU), it's the opportunity to become close with students in class since you'll be with them for all four years. Same rings true of Wagner's P.A. program and any small program anywhere. I think NYU (and I) would benefit from having a niche within the massive CAS. It's so easy to fall through the cracks.

Anyway, off to the movie. Big thumbs up for Cornell (and Binghamton!).

And driving to the supermarket makes me feel so suburban.

Food is not a sufficient substitute for sleep.

That's just true... not humor. My brain is too tired to be funny. I plan on going to sleep at 9:00 to make up for the sleep I did not get last night. But anyway, I have had the time to blog a few times this month, which is my standard for evaluating how busy I am. I guess my life has calmed down a bit, even though it doesn't seem like it.

Not having weekends to catch up on homework and life is making me nervous, so I'm trying to get everything done before visiting Binghamton and Cornell. And I just realized my brain no longer processes numbers... seriously. Math is now a language that I do NOT speak. That's probably why it took me 6 hours to do my calculus homework (badly)... and it was only chapter 1. And of course the web site deleted it before I could submit it and I now have to redo the whole assignment. Great!

But other than that, I am caught up and ready for a mini road trip to the boondocks. I looked up Binghamton online to see what fun activities are in the area ... nothing came up. But we could do a River Crawl... I guess it's sort of like a pub crawl but boring. I bought a new skirt at a new boutique for the trip so I'm all set! Apparently there is a rugby/dance team mixer while we're up there. I can guarantee in the history of NYU there has never been a rugby/dance team mixer. Or a rugby team. Or a dance team. Or for that matter... a mixer.

Then comes Cornell. Apple picking! Such a Cornell-ish thing to do, don't you think? I'll have to find my flannel shirt. In my mind, it snows every day in Cornell. You know how you remember places you're not very familiar with exactly as they were when you were there? When I visited Cornell in high school it was snowing. So when I picture Cornell in my head, there is always a blizzard. I think deep down I'm expecting to see snow falling on campus (but nowhere else) while I'm approaching. And the temp will immediately drop 30 degrees when I step off the bus.

Also, there is apparently a swine flu outbreak at Cornell. But I don't think that will matter because everyone will have their scarves wrapped around their necks/mouths because of the blizzard and will be wearing ski gloves (and possibly skis to get to class). So I'm not too worried. Everyone is probably just sick because of the year-round blizzards.

So, these two pending trips have forced me to be productive on weekdays. But it's impossible! Too much to do already!

This week a good friend from London is in and I got to spend time with him finally! We had some sangria at Bellcourt, but we missed happy hour! Oh well. Went to the Standard too... still just all right to me.

I missed my "senior soiree." Does that matter? Probably not. I'm not into that sort of thing. I deleted the e-mail and forgot about it until a friend asked if I was going (in 20 minutes). I think about 7% of me regrets missing it.

I think that's all I got. Back to reading Pater (for my Virginia Woolf class?).

Just thought of something. WOAH. DEL POTRO. Seriously. Wow.

The Back to School Blues.

I've only had 1 day of school, and already I am sitting here watching Obama's address to Congress and procrastinating. I will NOT do my homework. The classes I'm taking are boring and I just had a glass of wine and I just will not do anything right now. And you know it's extreme procrastinating when I'm actually multi-task-procrastinating... watching the speech AND blogging to avoid doing homework.

Back to school, back to work... what else is new? What will distinguish this semester from the rest of my life? Jess made me realize something when she mentioned how different her life at Binghamton will be from her summer in the city - does my life regularly change? Is it bad if it doesn't? Year round I live in my apartment, take classes and work in NY. That makes me a bit sad. Not the "normal" college experience I guess. But then I realize that I actively ensure that I don't fall into a rut... I've studied in Madrid and London and regularly travel. But I finally realized that this lack of change is what has caused me to pick up new hobbies along the way. Last fall, my hobby was marathon training. Then I went to London. This summer was spent at work and didn't leave too much time for outside hobbies. What is my hobby this fall?

I know the suspense is killing you, so I won't leave you hanging... my new hobby is balance. A bit more abstract and unsual than most hobbies... but it is a goal, if not a hobby. I want to attend class, do well at work, excercise, eat healthy, study sufficiently, do fun things out in NYC (like fashion week and US Open!) and visit some friends at school. And the only way I can do it is through balance! Otherwise, at least a few of those goals will suffer. So my hobby will be ensuring I can do all of these things and still have time to sleep.

Oh, and also, my main goal is to finish watching season 2 of TrueBlood. Obviously.

As Summer Ends and Autumn Begins

This has been a whirlwind summer for me. So busy I haven't had time to post! Even now that I have a few days to relax and catch up with all of the little things that need to get done before school, I made sure to get up at 7 a.m. this morning and hit the ground running. I am frantically trying to finish this blog post while watching the news (maximizing productivity by multi-tasking), even though I have nowhere to be! I guess old habits die hard.

The internship this summer was super intense, but that's the way I like it. It was my 5th internship at the firm, and definitely the most time consuming and challenging... but also the most rewarding. Looking back, I made some really great friends and learned a ton of new things. Most importantly, as I move on to internship # 6 I'm more confident in my abilities and feel more empowered to make decisions and really contribute. Ever since my experience interning in London, I feel more comfortable and knowledgeable in my role, which is great!

After being so busy at work, I definitely over-indulged. There was no time for exercise (hence stopping my 10-mile run at mile 5 yesterday). Any day that I didn't work late meant going out with work friends or school friends or friends from home in the city for the summer.... which also meant lots of food, drinks and not enough sleep. So this fall, my aim is to get back into shape and pursue overall good health. And if I can't do it, then shame on me. I was able to successfully train for a marathon last fall, so I can at least drag my ass to the gym a few times a week for the next few months and not eat gyros in the middle of the night.

Moving on to the exciting stuff... GREECE! Best trip EVER. No exaggeration. When you think of absolute paradise - beauty, beaches, amazing views, restaurants, wonderful people.. everything you can imagine, you are really thinking of Greece. Nothing at all was lacking. The one caveat I will add is that we went to very touristy islands, so I'm sure the local villages hundreds of miles outside of Athens do not resemble any of the places we went to. Let me break it down quickly...

Athens is wonderful, but you only need a few days there. We walked the whole city the afternoon we arrived (only takes about an hour), then visited the Acropolis the next morning. The Acropolis was obviously amazing. Absolutely massive and one of those very humbling and breathtaking moments. One of those times when you're thinking, "Wow, I'm at the Parthenon, that building I've seen in every history and architecture textbook since I was 7." Other than that, we spent most of our time on the "K" Street. We still can't pronounce the name, but basically this one street has all of the restaurants and bars (sort of like Hoboken!). Amazing food, beautiful cafes, and much-needed relaxation before the other islands.

Next we flew to Santorini. It definitely suits its nickname - the honeymoon island. The main town where most people stay, Fira, is aboslutely beautiful and built into the side of a massive cliff hanging over the edge of the island and looking out on a beautiful volcano. No matter where you are in Fira, you have an amazing view of the water, the volcano, and other Cycladic islands. You can walk through the whole town for hours - it's filled with shops, wine stores, restuarants, cafes, bars and clubs. We spent most of our time walking down the paths on the side of the cliffs to restaurants and cafes, drinking a glass of wine and just taking in the beautiful views. It's a great thing I was with my best friend - it was not awkward at all to sit in silence for long stretches and just look out at the water, completely lost in our own worlds.

We also hiked up the side of a mountain to see the ruins of Ancient Thira. Being the idiot that I am, I wore two right sneakers, thinking that I had forgotten the left-foot sneaker... I found it later that day in my bag. But anyway, it was great to see the ruins of a city from the 6th Century BC... and now I know why the Greek empire fell. Everyone was so tired after hiking up the mountain to their homes that they couldn't do any work.

We decided to go to the other main town on Santorini, called Oia (EE-ah), so of course we stopped at some small wineries on the way and had some amazing wine. Vinsanto is very popular in Greece - it's a dessert wine like Port. Delicious.

Though we only spent one night in Oia, it may have been my favorite night of the trip. We watched the sunset, went to a great restaurant on the opposite side of the island overlooking the water, and then went to the most quaint and fun bar of the whole trip. We stumbled upon a cute bar overflowing with people because of some fantastic live music. We decided to stop in for one drink and ended up staying the entire night. Fabulous mojitos, but an even more fabulous Venezuelan jazz band. We danced the whole night and became friends with the band members (of course). I loved the beautiful Greek saxophonist and Jess befriended the salsa-dancing Venezuelan singer. We have their e-mail addresses and will hopefully keep in touch. The funniest part of the night just epitomizes Greek culture to me... anything goes. At about midnight (the party was just getting started!) a gigantic stray dog, maybe a German shepherd, sidled his way through the crowds in the bar and lied down right in the middle of the very small dance floor. He covered pretty much the whole floor and decided to go to sleep, despite the loud music right behind his head. So everyone just shifted aside and danced in the corners of the room since the center was blocked. No one kicked the dog out or tried to get him to move. And as soon as the band finished, the dog stood up and left! Only in Greece!

I could go on for hours about Santorini, but I'll move on to Mykonos. It was beautiful as well, but there is less culture in Mykonos. It's mostly just beaches and partying. And partying at beaches. We went to one day-time beach party, but even for us, drinking hard liquor at 3 in the afternoon is a bit much. We did stay and dance for a bit. Lucky for us, we did not head to any of the trashy clubs at night. Instead, we met some really great people who showed us where the nicer places to hang out are. And one of them knows my manager - what are the odds! But once again, we had an amazing time and met amazing people...

These are the types of things that make me want to move abroad. Traveling has such an effect on me, as I'm sure it does on everyone else. I judge people less, certainly don't judge people before I get to know them, avoid protocol and standards when it comes to other people, etc. I think when you're taken out of the culture and society that you know (which I realize now is even smaller than I thought) there is no choice but to abandon all pre-determined notions and ideas of how conversations should flow and what boundaries between new acquaintances should exist. It's so tough to describe, but I think basically I've learned to only consider the substance of what someone says in forming any opinions... I might someone, speak to them, not worry if they say something that doesn't match the standards of what I have been taught can or cannot be said in an initial conversation, not worry if they are different or "weird" and just appreciate the value of what they've said and where they are coming from. The world is simultaneously much larger and smaller that way. And I love it.

So that was my trip. Wonderful, memorable and definitely something I'd like to repeat. I'd like to go to Thailand or Sydney next. Anyone available to show me around?!

Now it's back to getting ready for school / work, which both begin next week. It will be a money spending week. I need:

new ipod

new Mac

new camera

sign up for Pilates classes

new clothes (well, I guess I don't need these...)

I just got my new iphone, which I am super psyched about. My friend Ade told me an iphone is "not just a phone.. it's a way of life." Totally true! I can't wait to download the wine application so I can look up all of the wines and definitions I don't understand (oaky?) at restaurants. Mom will be proud.

I'm doing something new this semester... instead of partying in NYC every weekend, I'm traveling to other colleges in my last semester! My trips include...

visiting Kristen at Cornell (and hosting her in NYC)

visiting Jess at Binghamton (hopefully for Halloween!)

visiting Case at Umass

taking a weekend trip to D.C. with my parents and grandparents

so fun! I'll be very busy during the week with school and work, and I'm hoping to spend whatever weekends I have in NY catching up on work, running, etc., to be able to slack off when I take those weekend trips. Theme of my autumn... moderation and health. Getting myself back on track after this summer of indulgence!

Phew. Done with a long overdue post. Will post again soon (really).

Pending . . .

I have been SO neglectful. But don't lose faith in me yet! A lengthy and thrilling post is coming your way shortly.

Yammas (cheers).

Where does the time go?

Today my pulse beats to The Rolling Stones's "Brown Sugar." Apropos on Mick Jagger's 65 birthday. 

I cannot believe how quickly summer is flying by. July is already gone, which means my internship ends and I head to Greece in just over three weeks. I am so not prepared! I've bought two new dresses, but I still need to shop! And hotel booking... my stomach churns when I think how we have not booked any hotels for our stay on Athens, Mykonos and Santorini. I guess we will have to be spontaneous! I plan on eating lots of fish, existing in scenes of blue and white and sun, and drinking lots of ouzo.

I love typical summer weekends... no fuss, no high heels (not like i can really wear them yet anyway), no fancy outings. Just good, old-fashioned barbecues with lots of burgers, hot dogs, sangria, beer, cake, ice cream, family, friends, and laughter. What could beat it?! Did some bbq hopping this weekend. All around good time. Probably gained about ten pounds, but it was worth it! Always, always great to see grandma and grandpa and catch up with Case too. 

2.5 weeks of work left (not that I'm counting). But instead of being excited... I'm scared! So much to get done and SO little time. Don't know how it will all get done. Could mean some late nights! But I wouldn't trade it. Got to see some of the London crew last week - can't beat 'em! Wish they came to visit every week. 

Apartment is coming along too... snagged a coffee table, giant mirror, and random tree this weekend. All in a day's work. Next steps are painting one wall of the living room (with are thinking something like burnt sienna), and getting a cute slipcover for the couch. Then we will be all set (for now). 

Just finishing up The Sun Also Rises. Love it. One of the best books I've ever read. Makes me want to name my daughter Brett Ashley. What will be next? Skinny Bitch? Again, don't judge me. Want to see what the hype is about. But I also need to read Let the Great World Spin. Met the author Colum McCann at his book reading. I love him, so I bet I'll love the book. Also might start going to some of his friend's gigs. This guy, Joe Hurley, played a few songs at the book reading and I really liked him. Would totally head over to a bar he's playing at. 

Anyway, that's all for now. Back to watching The Departed. Great movie! 

Oops

I know, I know, I haven't written in a while. But I've been busy! Just follow me on twitter for now :)

twitter.com/klroti