Second Semester, Senior Year.

Well, here we are, folks!

Y'all know how much I love it here at Saint Mike's, so it's a little bittersweet to know that my time is so extremely limited now. I feel like I have to accomplish so many things in a very small number of days in order to have had the true Saint Michael's and Vermont experience. I'm suddenly rushing to write a bucket list with my housemates, hoping I'll have time for everything in this race against the clock.

But at the same time, I realize that feeling does a total injustice to everything I have done here over the past three and a half years. And I've done a LOT.

And, despite the mixed feelings about having to leave so soon, I can't help but feel that the time is right. Even though I have some really interesting classes this semester with some fantastic professors (we'll get to those details in a moment), it's been taking me some extra motivation to care about attending them as much as I did when I was a first-year. I'm still learning so much, but I'm starting to feel a bit beyond the classroom vibe. I'm ready to show up (to whatever I end up doing in a few months) in the morning with the same vigor that I went to an 8am class with three years ago (thinking that's what it means to "sleep in"...silly young Lauren).

That feeling has nothing to do with my schedule and everything to do with senioritis (a post on that is in progress). So, without further ado, here's what I've got going on as well as my predictions for the semester:

1.) The Great (Fire)Wall: Monday & Wednesday, 1:30-3:05 P.M.

I am of course very excited to be taking this course, as I'll be learning about a culture I know nothing about--just like before I went to Morocco. I'm especially curious about the media environment in China, as we're all aware that the internet is heavily monitored (I wonder if you can access my blog in China...?). One thing I am NOT thrilled with: hearing the other students discuss their excitement to go on the trip, as I unfortunately won't be able to make it. The group leaves a couple days after graduation, and between my financial situation after having traveled so much in the spring and summer (read: I'm broke) and my current state of "what the heck are my plans for a few months from now" I wasn't comfortable with taking off for another adventure just yet. Everything is a bit too up in the air for that.

So yeah, I'm a little jealous, but I'm not the only one in my class who isn't going. Despite my travel bug, I do think the class will be worthwhile. This is also my first experience with Professor Rob Williams, or "Dr. W" as he refers to himself, and he's super charismatic and definitely passionate about this subject. He opens every class with a loud and proud "Ni Hao!"

2.) Environmental Hazards: Tuesday & Thursday, 9:45-11:20 A.M.

This is my final class to complete my Environmental Studies minor. I had the option to take any ES course offered this semester, as I already completed the required courses. At first I really wanted to take Buddhism and the Environment, but for scheduling purposes I thought this might work better for me. It turns out that what started out as my second option is quickly becoming a major topic of interest for me. I'm more interested in the social side of natural disasters, including anything from prevention to human impact to legislation. We're covering all of that, plus learning about how natural disasters occur and some of the science-y things behind them (yes, I'm truly a liberal arts kid through and through...).

We're also looking at this from a global perspective, so I'm pretty pumped for our research paper (yes, you heard me right. Pumped. For a research paper.) where we get to choose a country and look at what types of environmental hazards they've had within the past generation or so, and how they've dealt with them. At first I was totally ready to start looking at Morocco, but now with my China class I'm thinking maybe I'll do some searching there, too. Actually, this week in my China class someone mentioned the smog over Beijing due to factory processes, and the types of human health and environmental impacts this has had. Maybe I'll do some more digging around, but it's nice to know I already have a few options in mind.

The major con: as with a lot of topics in ES, this can get incredibly depressing. You can't talk about environmental hazards without talking about degradation and death. But I think that's what makes it so important, too, and why it needs discussion. The other con is that my textbook still hasn't arrived in the mail, but thankfully Professor Stroup is super nice and allowed me to make copies from hers for the time being so I don't fall behind. I'm glad I asked for help!

3.) Senior Sem: Wednesdays, 3:15-6:20 P.M.

This course description is accurate, and yet it tells you NOTHING. What do you need to know about this course?

This course will empower you and routinely crush your dreams at the same time, and it is fantastic.

What do I mean by that? Okay, so maybe it was a little melodramatic, but basically this course is a whole lot of work with a whole lot of reward. It's just like the ISJ I did in Morocco, but on a bigger scale. And honestly, after doing my ISJ, I absolutely can't wait to jump into this project.

So as you know, I'm working with my best friend Sheila on a documentary film about ageism and forming relationships in senior citizen communities. We've been doing research and establishing contacts, and now it's time to get filming. I'm meeting up with her and Professor Hyde later this afternoon to discuss our next steps and how we're going to accomplish the huge task we have in front of us.

It's obviously a ton of outside work, so why the three-hour class? It's a great time to collaborate with other groups, learn about their topics, and bounce ideas off of each other. Each week a different person brings snacks, and it's basically having a homework party with your best friends. I can tell, this class is going to be like hitting a refresh button for me. Whenever I get stressed out, it helps me to walk into class and talk to my professors and classmates. Not only do they validate my concerns, but they also help me work through them when I'm stuck. Looking around the room at our first meeting the other day, I was so content. And once we got talking and pitching our ideas, it was like someone lit a fire. We feed off of each other's passion and drive, and that is by far what I love most about our little Bergeron community.

What a perfect way to end four years, right?

So, in case you haven't noticed, that's three classes, four days a week. That leaves me with one less class than normal and a whole gosh-darn day!

I only needed 8 credits to graduate, as some of my high school AP courses carried over and counted for college credit. So I chose to take 12 (that way I'm still a full-time student with health insurance) and allow myself a day off in the process. Since I'm really committed to this senior seminar documentary, I honestly don't think I'll have as much free time as one might expect. And I'm glad to have a 3-day weekend--Sheila and I are already planning a trip to New York City to interview some people there for our documentary, and this gives me more travel time without missing class.

But for now, I'm happy to use my Fridays as blog days and to get a head start on work for the next week. I'm feeling really good about getting back into the groove after a long and mostly uneventful winter break--not having any projects gets a bit boring!

To all my readers, good luck embarking on this new semester!

Lauren

Cool Campus Events

I recently mentioned in a previous post that I've been making a point of attending more campus events. In the past, my main motivation to go see a guest speaker would have been a prompt from a professor. But whenever I go to a campus event, I always end up enjoying it and taking something away from the experience. There are some things that can't be learned in the classroom, or sometimes there's not enough class time to go more in depth with a topic that interests you. That's where these campus events come in--and since they're free, why not make use of them?

As many of you know, I have an environmental studies minor. I've been pretty passionate about environmental issues since high school, and I've recently been reading much more about the environmental concerns of urban communities. Although I am not currently taking any classes for my minor this semester, I've been trying to keep up with current events in ES and staying informed on what's going on locally and globally.

So, I was pretty stoked when I saw that Albert Huang, a senior attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), was coming to campus to speak to us. As one of the people working with the NRDC's urban environmental justice program in New York, Huang had much to say about issues such as environmental racism and class-ism. Huang represents low-income communities struggling with environmental hazards. Throughout the lecture, Huang often called on audience members to speak up about their views on certain issues or their definitions of what environmental justice is. Though he was speaking to a large room (the recital hall was full!), the event was very discussion-based. It was really interesting to hear about some of Huang's work and the types of strategies he used in different communities. He stressed the importance of community organization and grassroots efforts to face these issues.

Huang's lecture was actually a part of a lecture series facilitated by our Peace and Justice program as well as other campus organizers. I also went to the first lecture in the series, held earlier this month with Aziz Abu Sarah as the guest speaker. As a celebration of Ghandi's 144th birthday, a peace pledge was held and each part of the pledge was read in a different language by a student or faculty member. Then, Sarah spoke about his experiences growing up as a Palestinian in Israel. As one of the directors at the Center for World Religions, Diplomacy, and Conflict Resolution, much of his work revolves around peaceful approaches to reconciling conflicts.

Another event I attended on campus this past week had a much more local focus. The exhibit "Let Them Eat Cake" was a student art project that called for a way to appreciate our kitchen staff in Alliot (the student dining center). Every month, Alliot workers make an enormous cake in celebration of every birthday that took place that month. The students who produced the exhibit made a documentary showing the process of making a cake that large (which is actually about 6 sheet cakes put together!). They made a few different types of smaller cakes for gallery visitors to sample, and they also had one of these large cakes donated by our own Alliot staff. At the end of the exhibit, we were able to fill out comment cards to thank the workers for all that they do. It was a delicious exhibit and a wonderfully creative idea!

I also attended another environmentally-themed lecture on Monday, when Christiana Peppard, a professor of Theology, Science and Ethics from Fordham University, came to speak to some SMC students about the global water crisis in the context of theology and ethical decisions. I was interested to hear about the Catholic Church's role in calling attention to the global water crisis--I have researched the issue for various projects, but I never looked at it solely through the lens of how religious groups have addressed such a massive ethical problem. Her talk was very interesting, and she brought a renewed sense of passion, decent sense of humor, and realistic approach to what can otherwise be a very depressing, very scary topic. I'm looking forward to reading her book, Just Water: Theology, Ethics, and the Global Water Crisis. It's definitely on my list of must-reads (it's quite a long list, but I'm determined!).

Anyway, I hope you're all doing things that fascinate you. I'm off to work on my homework and then attend a pizza party facilitated by SIT, my study abroad program. I can't wait to meet the representative coming to speak with us--I have tons of questions for her and I'm so excited about Morocco! It will also be really cool to speak with students who have traveled with SIT in the past. I'll be sure to let you all know how it goes!

Cheers,

Lauren

Projects, Ice Cream, #Accepted2SMCVT, and (as always) Shenanigans

Readers!

I am so sorry for my prolonged absence on this blog. So much has been happening, and I keep forgetting that the semester is almost over. Just a couple weeks...and then I'll be halfway through college! D: Time is moving way too fast!

First of all, I'd like to inform you all that I've FINALLY finished my Global Comm Media Mapping website, which I have been working on for most of the semester. Everyone in each class was assigned a different country, and we had to do research on the country itself and the media environment. The culmination of our research was turning everything we found into an interactive educational website. My country was Malaysia. It was so interesting, but definitely one of the most difficult projects I've ever had! I found it difficult to figure out exactly what out of all of the information I gathered should be featured in my website. I was up late (or...early...) working on it, but I didn't quite mind--I had some company as my friend Lauren and I scrambled to put on the final touches at 8am while eating a wonderfully delicious (if not totally nutritious) breakfast of Teddy Grahams and rainbow chip frosting.

Anyway, the whole class did a really awesome job on each of their countries, and we're all really happy to see the result! You can view all of our projects here: http://journalism.smcvt.edu/webcourses/HomePages/GC2-2013%20Media%20Mapping%20HOME.htm

I've been working on a lot of other stuff for school too, since everything is wrapping up now. I have papers to write for Philosophy of Science, Technology and the Environment and for Environmental Problems, two classes I'm taking for my ES minor. I also have a final project for Photojournalism, where I have to photograph an event, person or other feature story and create a layout. Just recently I went to an art exhibit in Burlington, where I saw the opening of "Ecologies" by SMC art professor Brian Collier. It was an incredible event and I learned a lot about seed dispersal and the rejuvenation of wasted green space. I took pictures there, so I'm considering using that for my final. (PS: isn't it pretty cool that I'm finding ways to combine my major and minor? I just recently presented a prezi about how MJD and ES relate and cross paths, and I'm definitely trying to practice what I preach).

However, don't think it's all just doom and gloom here around finals time! Not only have my projects been interesting and (dare I even SAY it?!) kind of fun, but I've made time to do other things too. For example, after we all handed in our Global Comm projects, I went downtown with a bunch of friends from my class (including SMC blogger Juliana and the blogosphere's newest member, Sheila). It happened to be Free Cone Day at Ben and Jerry's, so we all celebrated the end of our project with ice cream!

I answered a trivia question correctly: Ben and Jerry originally wanted to make bagels, but it was too expensive! I was given this "front of the line" pass, but I wanted to stay with my group so I ended up giving it to a friend I saw waiting in line later on.

Here I am with some of my favorite gals on Free Cone Day! L to R: Liz, Mikala, Juliana, myself, Sheila and Cara.

Yesterday was Accepted Students Day here at Saint Mike's, and I was lucky enough to meet some of the class of 2017. I can tell already that they're a lot of bright, interesting, and fun people! I just recently became a tour guide, so I've been shadowing other tours to learn the ropes. I went with my friend Alex yesterday, and we brought a few families around campus and told them some of our favorite things about SMC. I really enjoyed it--not only was it nice to meet new people, but sharing some of my personal stories reminded me just how lucky I am to be here and just how much I love it!

By the way, if you couldn't make it to Accepted Students Day either this weekend or next weekend, you can follow along with the fun by searching the #Accepted2SMCVT hashtag on Twitter and Instagram.

My official Tour Guide t-shirt...Lauren Likes Saint Mike's!

Other than that, I've had some fun spending my weekends with friends. We went into Burlington for dinner last night, and we're hoping for the weather to clear up soon so we can go watch a sunset on Lake Champlain. Until then, we'll have to settle for playing some laughter-inducing games like Quelf and Cards Against Humanity.

Can you picture it? That's what I thought...you're welcome.

I hope you're all doing well and that this post was worth the wait. I'll try not to be away for that long again...but remember that I'm always in touch! Contact me @LaurenKopchik, lkopchik@mail.smcvt.edu, or Lauren Kopchik on Facebook and Formspring.

Best,

Lauren

Fossil Free SMC!

We've had some really cool environmental awareness things going on around campus over the past few  weeks. Not that this is anything unusual--at Saint Mike's, most students aim to live daily with the environment in mind. However, we're at the beginning of a new, huge movement, and it all started with Bill McKibben's visit to Saint Mike's at the end of January. His talk was incredibly inspiring, and I was quite thrilled to be able to write an article for Her Campus SMCVT about the event.

Bill McKibben is one engaging speaker.

As one of the most influential people on the topic of climate change, Bill McKibben is quite a role model for people all over the world, and the student body was so excited to have him here. He is a founder of the website 350.org, an organization that attempts to instill environmental and legislative change through its campaigns. In the past, it has succeeded in launching huge social activism movements worldwide, and it continues to make an impact on how global citizens view personal responsibilities for the way we treat our planet.

One of 350's recent campaigns is its divestment campaign, which has been asking colleges and universities across the nation to divest stocks from its list of 200 top oil companies. This "Fossil Free" movement, if taken on by enough schools, could make an impact--but more importantly, it's a statement that a great number of our population will no longer stand by and see nothing done about climate change. We want to protect our future, and we will not support something that will inevitably harm it.

So, this week a group of about thirty or forty students got together to start planning our own divestment campaign. We are currently waiting to hear back from the school's administration about exactly which companies we are invested in, and once we find out about that, we're going to start planning talks about divesting from any oil companies. It's kind of surprising that we'd be investing in stocks in the first place--I don't know, it's just something I never thought about. But I'm so glad to be taking this next step. When you're fighting something as gigantic and ambiguous as climate change, everything counts. ESPECIALLY money. And where we put our money is a statement of our beliefs. Taking our investments away from these companies sends out a clear message: this is NOT okay.

I'm really excited for what the rest of the semester holds for this campaign. It won't be easy work, that's for sure--after all, we don't want Saint Mike's to be losing any money in this process, and we will need to find new companies to invest in that will make up the difference but also follow in accordance with our beliefs, environmental and otherwise.

To support Saint Mike's in the divestment endeavor, like our Fossil Free SMC Facebook page. Find out more about the divestment campaign and how you can set one up for your own school here at 350's campaign website. If your school is already participating, see how you can get involved. Most importantly, SPREAD THE WORD. Knowledge is power, and the more people who know about this movement, the better. Remember that if we keep ourselves educated about the issues we want to face, and band together to change those issues, we really can make a difference.

Stay informed!
Lauren

My awesome (and incredibly weird) class schedule

Hello readers! So, I know I said I'd do this over the weekend and it's now Tuesday afternoon, but better late than never right? Besides, today kind of starts the week for me for real. And then it kind of ends on Thursday. I know...most of you are probably thinking that it sounds like the best schedule ever. And mostly, it is...just not for the same reasons you might think!

So on Mondays, I have one class from 8:30 AM to 9:35 AM. Why on earth would I choose to get up early on a Monday for an hour of learning? Well, I hate wasting time, but I never realize how much I hate it until I've already wasted away my morning by laying in bed. So this keeps me from procrastinating! Anyway, once I'm done on Monday mornings, I can't help but remain in weekend mode--the day seems infinite with "nothing" to do! But the truth is, there's always something to do, especially after avoiding homework the whole weekend. So Mondays are big homework days for me.

Anyway, on Tuesdays I have class from 3:00 to 4:35 PM and then a 3-hour photojournalism course from 6:30 to 9:30. Again, a huge chunk of the day is "free," but it's good workout and library time. And, I like to get my homework done before photojournalism, because I would hate having to start everything late at night--especially after a 3-hour class!

On Wednesdays I have my 8:30 class again, plus ANOTHER 3-hour class from 1:30 to 4:30. Thursdays is my one afternoon class at 3:00 and Friday brings me back to the 8:30 AM and then a seemingly infinite weekend!

I wanted to talk about my schedule first because on the surface, it looks like I have a lot of time to kill 3 days out of the academic week. But the important thing to remember is that my class time equals the same amount that most other students are taking, it's just that two of my classes only meet once a week for an extended period of time. This means that my week actually takes a lot of planning, especially around Tuesday and Wednesday. Having large chunks of time out of class can be beneficial because I can often sit down and get something done in one shot. However, not having that time period broken up can mean a slow start, procrastination, and daydreaming, which are all things I happen to excel at. It can also lead to thinking that I have a lot more time on my hands than I actually do. On Sunday night, I went to the library and checked out two DVDs, thinking I'd watch them after I finished the rest of my homework on Monday. It's Tuesday afternoon, and I still haven't watched them yet!

Anyway, I'll spare you guys a lecture. Just remember that if you have a freaky class schedule, you should be realistic about how much time you have. Manage it well.

Now to the fun part: a review of my classes! Prospective Journalism and Environmental Studies friends, listen up:

1.) PH-209A Philosphy of Science, Technology and the Environment (MWF 8:30-9:30 AM): I will admit to you all freely that I am no philosopher. I mean, I can think pretty deeply (believe it or not) but I don't have much interest in philosophical reading or debate. I took this class because it fulfills the Liberal Studies requirement of a second-level philosophy course, and it also counts toward my Environmental Studies minor. So, I was not thrilled to be enrolled in a philosophy class early in the morning, but I did it out of practicality.

That being said, I will also admit that I had no idea how much I'd really enjoy this class. But as soon as Professor L'Hote began her discussion with us last Monday, I've been pretty hooked. This class has a pretty self-explanatory title: we're looking at the impacts of each of these concepts through a philosophical lens. It's probably no surprise to you that the first question our class was asked was, "What is science?" and it also may be no surprise that none of us had a definitive answer. What the course title doesn't tell you is that these concepts actually have a lot to do with our own ideas, observations, and especially our varied views on religion. Our interpretation of science, for example, can show someone how we percieve the rest of the world.

I'm just skimming the surface here. In all honesty, a lot of the stuff we've been discussing is way over my head. But every now and then I catch an idea and things make a lot more sense. You know, philosophy is a pretty "messy" subject. There's really no right or wrong answer. There probably are no answers at all.

Anyway, I can't wait to get to the "technology" and "environment" sections of the course. Not that I want to rush science along at all, but those are the two I'm really interested in. Technology, as you know, plays a huge role in social and global media, and its very existence affects the way I will someday be doing my job compared to the way past journalists and other people in the realm of media creation did theirs. And don't even get me started on the environment. Just the word itself implies a lot, but I won't go there. All I will say is that as an environmentalist, certain movements and current environmental issues are close to my heart.

Which brings me to my next class:

2.) ES-201B Environmental Problems (W 1:30-4:30 PM): Okay so I'm not going in order, but I just had to take advantage of that transition. Anyway, in this class I will be taking a look at current environmental problems and trying to figure out ways to solve them. You all know from past posts that environmental studies encompasses multiple disciplines and there are often several ways of looking at any particular problem. This class is no different. We will be doing a lot of reading about problem solving, policy making, economics, ecology...you name it. We will also be having "field trips" to different areas where we will assess issues going on in those locations. There's also going to be tons of research, as majors in this class need to start one of many projects that will help them focus on their concentration. Since I am a minor, I think my assignment will be to find a project that relates environmental issues to my major.

I've only had this class once so far, but I am quite excited about it. I have Professor DeCarlo, who is incredibly experienced in the field and has a lot of hands-on knowledge that she's ready to share with us. She's a very inspiring person, too, and you can tell that she really gives her whole life to her work.

3.) MJD-250A Global Communications (T TH 3:00-4:35 PM): Here's the zinger! Whenever I hear anything about the MJD major, it's almost always about this class. People will say they've heard "horror stories" and that this is the most difficult class in the major. They warn you about it.

Want to know the truth? I'm being sincere: it's not that scary. Seriously. It's a demanding class, yes. There is a lot of reading and there are a lot of expectations. Limits might be pushed. But I can tell already that it is worth it.

First of all, any class that has the word "global" in it should indicate a lot of reading. And to be truthful, most college classes in general are a LOT of reading. Global Comm is the class that helps MJD students prepare for media in the global sense. We try to look outside of our New England perspective and see real-world issues through an objective lens. We look at how the media have changed the way we see the world, discuss this phenomenon called "global culture," study geography (yes, geography in a journalism class--it's actually really important!), and keep up with current events in every region of the world. At the end of the course, there will be a huge research project that will incorporate skills we've learned in other courses, like having to use a web design program.

This course is taught by Professor Hyde, and he helps bring the classroom to life in really interesting ways. On our first day, he told us to work with partners to try to fill in a blank world map as fast as we could. Of course, none of us have terribly wonderful geography skills, so it took a while. We listened to different forms of music from all over the world as we worked. We also filled out index cards with information on it like our "personal ideology." Heavy question! We sort of stared at each other for a while like, is this serious? But once we got used to thinking outside the box, some interesting answers came to us. I can tell that this class is going to help me rethink the world and see it in a different light. So, all I have to say is challenge accepted!

4.) MJD-210A Photojournalism in a Digital Age (T 6:30-9:25 PM): You might be thinking, "who would want to take a class that late at night?" Well, to be honest, I'm a little bit too used to hanging around academic buildings during late hours. Besides, this is the "fun" course! First of all, I got a shiny new toy: a beautiful, magical, incredibly expensive camera. Admittedly, I'm a little scared of carrying this thing around with me.

However, who doesn't like to have fun taking millions of pictures? I think that after this weekend, most of my friends probably won't want to hang out with me anymore unless they want their lives to be documented at every moment. It's like they've got a personal paparazzi!

Sheila took this class last semester, and I used to go out with her when she was working on projects. So, I already have an idea of what to expect. For example, I know that the "Day in the Life" assignment will require me to follow a classmate around for the day and document their interactions. My friend Cara is taking the class with me, so I'm hoping we can be partnered with each other!

I'm incredibly stoked for this class because I've always loved taking pictures but I've never learned how to use professional equipment or how to get the most out of an image. I'm hoping that I'll be a much better photographer by the end of this course. Maybe not National Geographic-worthy just yet, but a bit closer!

Here are some of the pictures I've taken so far (I only picked a few out of the 684 that I took this week!):

And now I'm off to my photojournalism class! Sorry I don't have time to caption the photos--but hopefully you get the picture! (Ha!)

Cheers,

Lauren

Why I LOVE my major and minors!

Hey everyone!

I hope you're all enjoying your Holiday break! As I am typing to you, my mother is cooking up a storm for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner, my sister just came through the door with an armful of packages, and as for me...well, I'm avoiding the last-minute cleaning and wrapping I have to do with a blog post! So, thanks for fueling my procrastination.

As most of you may know, I'm a Media Studies, Journalism and Digital Arts major at Saint Mike's. I have this belief: the longer the name, the cooler the major! If you're from the same school of thought, then nothing is better than MJD!

When I started the college search, I knew I was mostly interested in schools that offered a Journalism program. The thing about journalism, though, is that it's one of the fastest-growing and most changing fields of study. Modern technology has changed the way the media work. Journalists are no longer just writers; they are photographers, designers, editors, and web creators. What made SMC stand out for me was that our MJD department was taking this into consideration. Before I got to Saint Mike's, the major was known as "Journalism and Mass Communication". Then, the department revised its curriculum in order to allow more focus on much of the emerging technology and new skills that are needed to succeed in today's industry.

One really fascinating aspect of the MJD major is that we are not only learning how to use technology responsibly and effectively, but we are also learning how to analyze the ways in which new media may change the way we receive information and even alter the ways we view the world. There's no doubt that people are spending more time than ever indoors, that we now receive news and information mostly over the internet, and that so much screen time often leads to negative health effects. But, how do computers change the way our brains function? What does the impact of technology have to do with human interaction? With so many opposing views and thousands of outlets to receive news, how do we choose which source to trust? How have social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter changed the ways we interact with each other? These questions, among many others, are ones that all MJD majors will become familiar with and eventually answer in their own terms.

One of the ways we consider these questions is through a week-long "Tech Fast", a time each semester when students are encouraged to completely "unplug." We turn off our cell phones and ipods, write many assignments by hand, and stay away from computers--which, as a school that relies so heavily on email to keep students informed about happenings on campus, is an incredibly difficult task. This is all optional, of course, but most MJD majors take part in it as a way to fully comprehend our reliance on these tools. The tech fast always creates some awesome discussions in class, as all of the students get really pumped to share their experience.

An inspirational message to MJD students on the door of a Bergeron computer lab. 

Of course, the curriculum wouldn't be much if the department didn't have an incredible staff of professors to teach it. Well, MJD majors present and future, you're in luck! The Saint Mike's MJD department employs several amazing journalists from various specific areas of interest. They have traveled the world, worked for an array of companies, taught at other prestigious schools across the country, and they've been published in all media forms. These professors are dedicated, too. I've spent a lot of time in Bergeron (the main academic building for MJD students...hopefully you'll like this tight-knit journalism community, because you'll practically live there!) and there are always professors around, in their offices, having meetings with students, and helping out in the classrooms. They work extremely hard to make themselves available for anything the students may need.

Another quick thing to tell you about the MJD major--this group of students and professors is truly a community. It's evident in the impromptu study sessions, the conversations that might last long after a class has ended, and the fact that you'll probably get to know every single person in the major. I remember a conversation I once had with a transfer student who commented on the competitiveness of her old school. She loved that at Saint Mike's, the students were "all in it together"--learning from each other and willing to help other students succeed. I can definitely relate to that. I love that these students are so talented, they're constantly pushing me to do better without even realizing it. But at the end of the day, we're simply trying to better ourselves, not outdo each other--which allows us to realize that we are truly each other's best resources. The camaraderie of the MJD department at Saint Mike's is likely to go unmatched at most other schools.      

To see some student-run MJD work in action, check out the Defender, our weekly newspaper that covers all kinds of news and events on campus and around the Burlington area.

So, that was a LOT, and I feel like I've simply skimmed the surface. This is obviously a topic I'll constantly come back to on my blog, so I'll make the appropriate tags for you all to explore as I continue posting throughout my college experience. For now, I'll only say a few things about each of my minors:

The Environmental Studies minor (also offered as a major) at Saint Mike's is by far one of the coolest approaches I've seen to this interesting area of study. This has an interdisciplinary focus, looking at nature and the current issues in our environment from several perspectives. Not only do we study sciences like biology and ecology for a basic understanding of the way our earth functions, but we observe human interaction with nature over time by analyzing art, literature, philosophy, and even music. We look at famous environmental disasters and legal cases as well as modern issues that plague our world, including climate change, food insecurity and the global water crisis. The Intro to Environmental Studies class I took this year was extremely engaging, as four professors from different disciplines came together to teach a course that really opened my eyes to the world around me.

Creative Writing has been an absolute pleasure for me so far. I love to write, which is one of the main reasons I went to school for journalism. However, I often find that there's a lot of structure in journalistic writing, and sometimes it's necessary to stick to a certain format and of course remain objective (depending on who or what you're writing for, you can be more flexible with your writing, but traditional journalism might not always allow this). The Creative Writing minor is the perfect outlet for me--sometimes, I just want to write fiction! I've also found that my CW classes have strengthened me as a writer in general, and they often help me see my MJD major in a different way. CW has allowed me to explore different styles and techniques to find a way of writing that is uniquely me.

If you're interested in Creative Writing but you're not sure if you want it to be your minor, have no fear--there is a solution! You can practice and contribute to the CW community by submitting pieces to the Onion River Review, our campus literature and art publication. I'm an auxiliary editor for the review, which basically means that I get to read the submissions and meet up with the rest of the editors once or twice a year to help decide what to publish (it's so popular that unfortunately, there's not enough room for all of the submissions!) It's a really great way to get involved with people who share similar interests--there's also an open reading for poetry and other work about once a month on campus!

So, there you have it--a little look at why I love learning at Saint Mike's. Stay tuned for more major/minor information as well as the normal shenanigans! For my next few posts, I'm hoping to focus on some projects that I've done or contributed to in some way or another.

Again, Happy Holidays, and thanks for reading!

Lauren

Have I told you how much I love my classes?

Well, I'll tell you again!

By now, you probably know that Nature and Outdoor Writing has been my favorite class this semester. One reason for this is simply that the content of the course matches my interests perfectly. It's an MJD (my journalism major) elective, as well as an elective for Environmental Studies and Creative Writing minors. We read works from all kinds of environmental authors, ranging from Leopold to Suburban Safari's Hannah Holmes. We also get to write our own pieces, including memoir-like accounts of our own experiences as well as creative natural history articles that incorporate research.

Basically, it's the perfect class for me because it's a crossroads of my major and minors. I'm always finding connections between my classes (for example, 3 out of my 4 classes this semsester have discussed the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone) but this one takes the cake!

It's also just a really fun course, and Professor Sultze organizes some really cool activities for us. At the beginning of the semester when it was warmer, we had class outside pretty often. This was also the class that had the field trip to Burlington's bike path where I rode a tandem bike for the first time. Yesterday's class was another awesome opportunity--we had a guest speaker from a local bird sanctuary come and show us some of the birds!

Here is an Eastern Screech Owl named Carson, after famous Environmental author Rachel Carson. She was a very "talkative" bird!

This is a Barred Owl, one of the most popular owls in many areas across the United States.

This is a red-tailed hawk, and the picture doesn't do her justice...her wing span was huge, and when she flapped her wings you could actually feel the wind from it on your face!

I just figured I would share that with you. This was definitely a highlight of my week! But, stay tuned for more MOVE news as well as other fun stuff to come!

Lauren