A Year in the Life of Jessica Sullivan

Sunshine

Today was undoubtedly the most beautiful day of spring, so far - the weather was perfect, the sun shone all day, and the temperature was in the mid-70s. I spent as much time as possible outdoors, but a group presentation for Gender and Communication, a French essay, and preparing for the presentation of my senior honors project forced me indoors for part of the day. Thankfully, my Global Political Economy Theory class coerced my professor into having class outside on the grass (not much coercion was needed, though...he seemed pretty inclined to the idea himself). After class, I decided to take a mental break by doing my first "polar bear swim". A few friends and I journeyed down to the Grasse River (just a short walk from campus) and jumped off the rope swing into the frigid water. It was...chilly...to say the least, but extremely invigorating.

The presentation of my senior project always seemed like a fictitious day in an unimaginable future (kinda like graduation...), but alas, the time to present my project has finally come. When this week wasn't stressful, it was extremely comical. My fellow Global Studies majors and I have been pretty easy to identify - we're the ones with bags under our eyes, notes scribbled hastily on the backs of our hands, and bulging backpacks. We have spent the week going through a range of emotions and experiences: collectively 'freaking out', having brilliant epiphanies, becoming extremely confused, etc. I've received some of my favorite text messages the last few days such as, "Are you using theory in your project?" (answer=big yes), "Wanna get a 'Mike's Special' from Sergi's?" (time of text: 1:02, answer=huge yes), and my personal favorite "Productivity is the rule to which we must both adhere in symbiotic complicity." (answer=blatant no, we did not achieve any level of productivity that night).

All things told, I'm really looking forward to the presentations. I think it will be interesting to hear the details of my friends' projects and to finally explain mine (hopefully in a somewhat eloquent manner) to the GS department and friends. I also anticipate returning to a normal sleeping pattern after the presentations are over...

Viggo Mortensen Next SLU President?

The campus newspaper, The Hill News, announced last week that Viggo Mortensen was one of the top candidates for the position of St. Lawrence President!

Of course, the paper also claimed ping pong balls were going to be banned at SLU, Poetry for Violence would be replacing Poetry for Peace, Senior Week was canceled for 2008, the beloved Appleton Arena would be demolished, and permanent quiet hours would be instituted from 8pm to 8am all over campus...clearly, this issue was all an APRIL FOOLS! (I just won't admit how many of the articles it took for me to catch on to the joke...)

What is not an April Fools is the fact that SPRING HAS ARRIVED AT LAST! The snow has melted and is (hopefully) gone for good. Once the temperature hit about 45*, everyone broke out the flip flops, shorts, barbecue grills, and frisbees. Granted, it's not exactly tropical weather...but the sunshine and warm temperatures have certainly brightened spirits around campus! I've been soaking up the beautiful weather by studying and running outside as much as possible - I even held my FYS Research and Writing Mentor hours outside...

On Friday night, my adviser organized a dinner party for the senior Global Studies majors and faculty. I had no idea what to expect going into the evening, but it turned out being one of the most enjoyable nights of my semester! We discussed nearly everything under the sun, serious and not so serious, over what was arguably the best food I've eaten since I was in Spain. It was fun to be around so many like-minded people (though we actually tended to be very opinionated and to vary dramatically in our opinions), and it was especially great to hang out with professors outside of the classroom. After the dinner party, we GS majors continued the party by going out dancing together.

I have an ODK meeting at 9 and rehearsal at 9:30, so I should probably bid adieu for now.

Countdown: 11 days until I present my senior honors project and hear the final decision from Teach for America!

Life After Spring Break

I must admit - it was pretty difficult leaving the carefree life of spring break and the warm, Arizona weather...but it only took a few days to get back into the habit of going to class and seeing snow on the ground. During the last leg of the journey back to school (the drive from JFK Airport to Canton), I couldn't help but feel comforted, like I was coming home, at the sight of the frosted trees in the Adirondacks and the salmon-colored sunset. Four years ago, I never would have imagined calling the Adirondacks and the small towns that dot the North Country signs of home (my second home, at least)!

As for spring break...it was incredible. Throughout our glorious week in Scottsdale, Arizona, six other SLU students and I hiked Cambelback and a trail in the Grand Canyon, watched the Coyotes play the Kings (ironically, this was my first NHL game), jumped out of an airplane at 10,500 feet, and lounged by the pool. It was a much-needed mental break from school and one during which many memories were made.

On Wednesday, three of my friends and I had our final Teach for America interviews in Syracuse. I was really proud of how all of us performed...and hopefully we will all be receiving acceptance letters in 2 1/2 weeks. We are supposed to hear back from TFA on April 18, the day that has also been set aside for my Senior Honors presentation...needless to say, this is a date I'm both looking forward to and fearing.

Thursday night, Amnesty and the African Student Union hosted an art exhibition in Gunnison Chapel for torture victims in Zimbabwe. The event was a great success and brought together students and faculty from SLU, Clarkson, and Potsdam. A local band performed, Dana Dining Hall provided refreshments, several students read poetry, and a visiting professor in government made a presentation on the political situation in Zimbabwe while students milled around the chapel, looking at the pieces of art donated by students and faculty. All artwork will be on sale until mid-April with the proceeds going to a children's organization in Zimbabwe.