MJD On and Off Campus

At Saint Mike's we like to say nice things about each other!

Wow, is it really 5 weeks into the semester already? I can't believe how quickly time is moving. I think it definitely has to do with the fact that this is senior year, but also because my friends and I have all been so busy!

Last time I told you about my housemates and how we all have these really cool and different things going on. Cait has a major role in the Student Association and just started a blog for her Animal Rights class. Merrill is working hard with an off-campus internship. Alex just completed her LSATs and is now focused on different aspects of her business major and her role as our Blogging Coordinator. All four of us are constantly running around to get things done, but the best parts of our days are in the morning when we get ready together and at night when we can gather on the couch (or the bed in whoever's room we choose to crowd in for the evening) and discuss everything that happened since our woman-empowered dance party that took place in the bathroom that morning.

So, what have I been up to? What have I NOT been up to might be a shorter list!

I'm taking five classes this semester, although two of them are half-credit. Three of those courses are MJD (Media Studies, Journalism, and Digital Arts), but only one of them is actually required for my major. That's my Senior Seminar class, a half-credit course that helps me prep for my project next semester. Senior Sem is a little bit different in MJD than for other majors because we work on it all year, whereas most students complete their projects in one semester. This semester, we focus on doing research and planning out our projects. Next semester is all about the execution of the project and producing the book, website, or documentary that will be the final product of eight months of work. My friend Sheila and I are currently working on research for a documentary we want to make regarding ageism (and many things related to this broad subject, but I'll leave you waiting in anticipation for now).

My other two MJD courses are electives, and so far they're definitely taking up most of my work time. However, they're super cool, and I'm glad I chose to take them for a number of reasons--most importantly because they get me off campus and practicing what I've learned in the "real world," much like I did last semester in Morocco.

The first course is called Digital Film and TV ("Digi-film" for short). In this class, Professor Hyde teaches us about film and all of the techniques that go into making them. We're learning how to use Adobe Premiere to edit our own short films. Our first project has encouraged us to find someone off the SMC campus who has some sort of creative passion that helps them "escape" into another world. I had a little trouble finding a subject at first, until one day when I was out on Church Street watching all of the buskers. I came across a young woman playing an accordion and singing, and I was taken aback by the way she threw herself into the music. She'd stomp her feet, close her eyes when she belted out a high note, and throw her whole body into the accordion as it expanded and collapsed. I immediately knew that I wanted to make my documentary about Laci, and since that day I've been having a blast filming her in interviews and street performances. Not only do I now have some experience of what it's like to film in public, but I have a great new friend with an incredible talent!

The second course is my internship class, instructed by Allison Cleary. Though a full-credit course, it only meets once a week because the rest of our time is filled with working on-site at our internship locations. In class we get together and discuss how our work is going. We also learn how to properly represent ourselves on social media outlets like LinkedIn and touch up our resumes. We took a Myers-Briggs personality test with Ingrid Peterson from our Career Services office. I just had a mock interview with Ingrid the other day as an assignment for class as well, and I was really happy to get some feedback on where I can improve my interview skills (I've got to work on my handshake!). Overall, the class itself is a great way to collaborate with my MJD friends about how to carry ourselves in a professional setting and how to resolve issues that may arise during the learning process.

In class yesterday, we went out to the Word Garden and chose two words that describe our experiences so far. I chose "roam" because I've been enjoying walking to my internship site in the lovely weather we've been having. I've found that it's good to walk and let my mind wander before going to sit at a computer and focus hard on it for hours at a time. I also chose "enthusiasm" because while I may not do everything right, I do it with enthusiasm!

Professor Cleary led the class in our Word Garden exercise.

My site location is at the Emily Post Institute. I'm their Web Development and Marketing intern, and so far the experience has been great. I'm learning a ton about web maintenance and I have one huge web project that will take a good deal of the semester to complete. So far, I'm in a nice friendly environment where I can truly learn and grow from my supervisors and coworkers.

In another class exercise, we went around the room saying what we thought each others' strengths were. My classmates and professor had such nice things to say about me!

I'm definitely loving my off-campus experiences so far. It's showing me that I can apply everything I've learned here to a larger setting, and I appreciate the feeling of knowing that I will be just fine after graduation!

The Pre-Return Jitters

Hello, friends. You're witnessing a makeover.

As you can see, "My Mosaic" has returned to "Lauren Likes Saint Mike's". The background has returned to a school-spirited theme, albeit more subdued with a simple Purple Knights color-scheme rather than anything obnoxiously designed (I hope). I have returned to America. And very soon, I will return to Vermont.

I have to admit, parting with "My Mosaic" is one of the more difficult things I've done this summer. Hence the header photo of the kasbah in Ouerzazate. I decided that can stay just a little bit longer.

Life is a mosaic. I'm not in Morocco anymore, but don't worry, I'm still working on mine.

The truth is, a part of me will always be in Morocco, and a part of Morocco is always in me (they don't call them cliches for nothing). I get so frustrated when I can feel so much of it slipping away the longer I am home. The general themes of what I learned stay, but minor details--the things that really made the whole experience special, made it mine--change or fade away altogether. I very badly want to go back. In my worst moments, I sometimes wish I never came home.

But I know that Morocco would have never been possible if it hadn't been for Saint Mike's. If I never went to college I never would have studied abroad; perhaps I never would have traveled at all. If I had gone to a college other than Saint Mike's, I would be on a completely different path. Maybe I would've gone somewhere else, maybe I would've stayed at my school all four years (a very distinct possibility, since many colleges don't transfer financial aid to students studying abroad--something I was very shocked to hear from my friends at other schools who I met in Morocco. Luckily, they found other ways to afford it). Would I be happy? Probably. I am naturally a pretty happy person, after all. But I'd just be different.

Despite my heartsickness for the people, sights, places, food, smells, and everything else I fell in love with in Morocco, I have a lot to look forward to. In just over a month, I will be back on campus for senior year. I will be working hard on my senior seminar project with Sheila and at whatever internship I end up with through my experiential learning course with Professor Cleary. I will be enjoying the company of friends who I consider family, most of whom I have not seen in over seven months (wow--it's about time). More importantly, I will be welcomed into a place that's ready to accept who I am now, with all of my new experiences and everything that has changed me while I was off venturing through the "real world". Almost all of my friends went abroad at the same time I did, meaning they know what it's like to make the rough transition back into normal life. Those who didn't have already endured long hours of "Why Morocco is the Best Place Ever" rants over the phone or Skype, and will most likely hear hours more when I see them in person (really, guys, thanks for being willing to do that). The Study Abroad office, creative writing folks, Office of Admission, and plenty of other groups on campus will welcome me with open arms and ears, asking me to speak as much (or as little) as I want about this past semester. I couldn't ask for a better place to go after something so profoundly influential happens in my life. I left Morocco and had some time at home, and now I'm ready to go home, if you know what I mean.

There are worse places I could return to.

Worse people, too. God I miss these guys. (Yes, I did intentionally choose the most unflattering photo of us all that I could find...you're welcome.)

Even though this year is going to be crazy and go by in a flash, I'm excited to return. It's actually weirding me out a little that I haven't been to Vermont in so long. It'll be another bittersweet transition when it's over, since I'll be graduating in May and I still have no idea what I want to do with my life. But we won't think about that just yet.

Anyway, my summer has been broken up in to a bunch of strange little segments. They've been great-- after a month of being home, I returned to South Dakota to visit old friends in La Plant for three weeks, working with Simply Smiles again and keeping that Saint Mike's connection going (another opportunity I would not have had without SMC). Then I went to California for a week to visit a friend I made in Morocco and plan to keep for life. I returned back home to New York last week, where I started up a great internship at Mark & Phil, a local non-profit that does marketing and web design for other non-profits. It's awesome to be home and learning in a new environment, but much of this summer segment feels a lot like waiting. I'm now in the home-stretch, so all I can think about is getting back to school and everything that has become so familiar to me over the past few years.

I'm being pulled in so many directions now. If you attached little strings to me and then placed the other ends on the people and places that have influenced who I am--South Dakota, California, New York, Vermont, Morocco, Ceuta, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Canada, and on and on--you'd have me bursting at the seams, ready to spill the stories of thousands, and also you'd have no string left. (Sorry, that ended up being a lot less deep than I thought it would be.) I want to explore and keep moving forward and find even more stories to collect, but I also want to return to all of the places that started my momentum in the first place. It's like I expected myself to do a marathon, but instead I'm on track for a relay.

Who knows where I'm going next?

I didn't know then, don't know now.

But it'll be fun trying to figure it out! (I'm making excuses to post Morocco pictures, I am fully aware of that.)

I want to go, I want to stay, I want to turn around, I want to rise up, I want to take a nap. I'm happy, but I'm confused. I'm not quite content with where I am right now, but I think that's a good thing--that means there's still something driving me to keep going and learning and loving and being and doing.

I think a lot of this has to with not just a longing for the past, but for the future. My immediate future is set (as soon as I pay that tuition bill that came in yesterday). But the finish line is in sight, and after that there is so much uncertainty. Sometimes it freaks me out. And sometimes, on days like today, it excites me. It's the first time in my life where I will have to choice to do anything, go anywhere. I could return to Morocco, or South Dakota, or California. I could look for a job in New York City, or stay in Vermont for a while. I could backpack Europe or South America. I could couch-surf America. Or I could (and let's face it, I probably will for a few months at least) hang out on my own couch in good ol' Poughkeepsie, just as I am now.

Time moves in a circle. Seasons change, people change. But I always figure out a way to return home.

"So no one told ya life was gonna be this waaay..."

Here's to one more year at Saint Mike's!

Cheers,

Lauren

First Year Fridays and...MOROCCO!

Hey readers!

So I'm sitting in the computer lab in Jeanmarie 288 (my favorite study spot, as many of you might know), finally getting to another blog post--it's been a while!

I've been quite busy with working in Admissions during the week and having shenanigans with my buddies on weekends. My Vermont summer is just flying by! Despite the rain, I've had tons of fun, and I'm glad I chose to stay here for the summer. It's nice to be able to spend some extra time at Saint Mike's, especially since I won't be here come Spring 2014.

"Hold up...what?"

Yeah, you read it right. I will only be spending the fall term of this year in Vermont. Fear not, readers, I will be back for my whole senior year, and I will also be blogging even during my absence from SMC. And you'll probably want to keep reading while I'm away, because I'll be blogging to you from MOROCCO!

That's right, I've been accepted to the SIT Study Abroad program in Rabat! I am SO stoked. While I'm there, I'll be doing research and working with Round Earth Media to create a journalistic piece, either in print or multimedia. And I'm staying with a host family. And taking classes. Oh, and learning Arabic.

Basically, my life is the best ever. Except for that I'm also slightly terrified. But I think it's healthy to be a little nervous! After all, Saint Mike's is my home away from home, and now I will have to create a new home away from home...away from home (did ya follow that?)

Anyway, I could talk about all of the emotions I have about it all day, but I won't. All I can say is that I'm so glad the application process and waiting period is over. It's like a weight off my shoulders! I have a destination, and nothing can stop me now. :)

So that was the big news, but I have something else for you too! As an Admissions intern, I get to do some pretty fun stuff, including giving tours every day. However, I have been working with Darcy and Sarah, the other two students in my office, and we've teamed up with Marketing interns Dom and Kathryn to create a summer video series! It's called First Year Fridays, and it's a continuation of the series that was filmed last summer. These informational videos are made specifically with incoming first-year students in mind so that we can tell you useful things about living at Saint Mike's and the opportunities that are offered in the Burlington area. If you want to learn more about the life of your average SMC student, definitely check out these videos, as well as last year's ones too! You can find them all on the SMC Youtube channel.

Here's the latest video (sorry, Blogger is having some trouble letting me embed videos today): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jx0-6fC8NXg

I hope you're all having a great summer. See you soon!

-Lauren

Vlog: Summer at Saint Mike's

LINKS:

MOVE, and specifically a South Dakota post

Simply Smiles

SMC Study Abroad Page

Visit Saint Mike's!

You can always message me on Facebook and email me at lkopchik@mail.smcvt.edu!

Vlog: Remember when I said I was going to vlog on Sundays?

Here you go. :)

Contact me by finding me on Facebook, Twitter (@LaurenKopchik), Formspring (LaurenKopchik) or emailing me at lkopchik@mail.smcvt.edu!

Tech Fasting, Mardi Gras and Exciting News

Well, just four more days until Spring Break...I can't believe how fast this semester is flying by!

This week has been a little funky so far, as I have felt a bit out of touch with people because I don't have my phone. I'm participating in a "tech fast" for my philosophy class. It was optional, but I chose to do it for extra credit to see how difficult it would be. I've done some tech fasts before, and I know from experience that it's hard at first but you tend to get used to it, and even grow to like it!

Obviously I'm not doing a complete fast from technology, since I am blogging to you wonderful readers, but I have been trying to cut back on screen time. So normally I try to get everything that involves a computer done at one time during the day, and then I don't log on again until I absolutely have to. Maybe this is why I'm finding it easier this time, because the main thing I'm giving up is my phone but I am still allowing myself computer access.

To tell you the truth though, I do enjoy tech fasts. I've done one almost every semester since coming to Saint Mike's, and it's actually very refreshing to not have to worry about constantly being connected with others. It sort of gives you an excuse for not being available, and for taking the time to do what you want to do, when you want to do it.

That being said, there are some downsides. I definitely feel out of touch with my family and friends. I can't talk to my family at all without my phone, and I have a hard time finding my friends when I'm not with them. It goes the opposite way too--Sheila messaged me on Facebook nine times on Friday hoping I'd check at some point. She'll probably get angry at me telling you that, but I find it hilarious. She was looking for me all day and had no idea where I was. Well, I had spent most of the afternoon on North Campus...in my own dorm building. Imagine that! And no one could find me!

So, what have I been up to with all of my screen-free time? Well, I had a total nerd moment in the library when I saw this book called "The Hunger Games and Philosophy: A Critique of Pure Treason". I love this kind of stuff, and I think the Hunger Games series is an excellent social commentary on modern society. So let the reading begin!

"May the odds be ever in your favor!"

Anyway, it was interesting going through the weekend without my phone--especially since Saturday was Burlington's big Mardi Gras celebration. Every year, there's a huge parade with floats and music and free beads and candy. People dress up in crazy costumes and paint their faces. It's like a giant carnival! The buses are packed running back and forth all day, and it feels like everyone in the entire city flocks to Main Street for the event. I volunteered for crowd control at Mardis Gras last year, which was fun because I got to stand right in the street and see the whole parade, and all of the volunteers were given free tee shirts and gifts for working the event. I also got to pass out beads and candy to the kids watching the parade, which was pretty adorable.

This year, I went with Sheila and Liz just to watch the parade and take pictures. It was pretty awesome, although my pictures didn't come out as well because I was in the middle of the crowd this time. But the energy was infectious, and everyone was having a great time--even when it started snowing! After the parade, we went to Sky Burger (our usual restaurant, if we're not in a Ken's Pizza or Fu Da mood) and then we spent some time at the mall before returning to campus. It was a fun day, even though it was so crazy and crowded, and then Sunday was just a quiet homework day.

It was pretty crazy!

The special of the day at Skyburger was the falafel burger...yum! And yes, I am one of those people who takes pictures of her food. You're welcome.

And now, the "exciting news" part of my post. Remember when I mentioned applying for internships, and how I was looking at one with Admissions over the summer? Well, I was lucky enough to have been offered the job! I was so excited when I heard the news, because it was the first summer internship that I had looked into and the one that was the highest priority for me. I just thought it would be so awesome to work with such a cool group of people, and I know I can learn a lot from them. Plus, I must admit that I'm pretty excited to be spending a whole summer with people who share the same zany enthusiasm for Saint Mike's. :) And, to top it all off, Vermont is amazing in the summertime, and we don't get enough warm weather during the school year!

So, it's not completely official yet because I still have to go through the workstudy application process, but as soon as all of the right paperwork is done I'll be all set with my summer plans. Keep your fingers crossed!

I hope everyone is having a fabulous start to their week. As always, contact me with any questions! lkopchik@mail.smcvt.edu

Happy Monday,
Lauren

Career Development

If you know anything about Saint Mike's, you probably know how much it prides itself as a whole on being an extremely supportive community. As a small liberal arts college with just about every student living on campus, how could it not be?

Something that shouldn't go unnoticed, though, is that the community aspect does not apply only to students--it applies to faculty, staff, alumni, and visitors as well. I can't think of a place where this would be more evident than in the Office of Career Development.

Although I've only just begun to visit the Office of Career Development, it's an on-campus resource that's available for everyone to use, from first-years to grad students or even alumni. Now that I've started getting serious about looking for a summer internship, I've been scheduling appointments with career development to work on my resume and discuss my options.

I started out by going to a resume workshop, which is an event that takes place almost every week to help students figure out what they should put on their resumes and how to format them to suit different internships or opportunities. The workshop that I attended had been run by Ingrid Peterson, and she was incredibly helpful in answering my initial questions. After that, I decided to schedule a one-on-one meeting with Ingrid so that I could figure out what I wanted to do this summer and where I should go to look for internships.

During our first meeting, Ingrid looked over my resume and helped me make a few small adjustments to showcase the experiences I've had that I want my employers to know about. She asked me some questions about what kind of work I was looking to do, and had me fill out a form by checking off which types of jobs sounded interesting and which major cities or regions I would like to work in. As an MJD major with a lot of experience in blogging and writing or editing content for the web, I am mostly interested in finding an internship that would help me further those skills. I also checked off subjects like photography, web design, newspaper writing and editing, service work, and non-profit organizations.

After that, we looked at a few websites that would be useful in finding internships that cater to my interests. Ingrid also showed me how to get the best use out of SMC JobLink, which is a database that allows anyone in the SMC community to set up a profile and browse resources for finding jobs, internships, careers and other opportunities.

Today I had a second meeting with Ingrid just to follow up on my final resume and cover letter for a specific employer. We talked about application deadlines, how to go about setting up interviews and how to graciously turn down other interviews once an internship is landed.

Although it's a lot of pressure to make yourself look awesome on paper to a complete stranger, I found that the right resources really do help. Everyone in the Office of Career Development is incredibly nice, and they know exactly what you're going through. Most importantly, though, they really care. Ingrid was as excited as I was about the interships I was finding, and she told me to let her know once I hear back from the employers.

I think that this attitude is definitely one of the things that has always set Saint Mike's apart from other colleges for me. Everyone here helps each other out, and it really is a supportive community. From professors to fellow students, from the office faculties to shuttle drivers to the custodial staff, everyone is looking out for each other. I think that's also why we have such a huge network for such a small school. We keep in touch with every contact we make; we touch base to see how everyone is doing. It's not that we're just thorough--it's that we care. That's why, when people look at a resume and see a Saint Michael's student, they say "Hey! I know that place!"

So, not to get off topic, but I think that all really does relate to Career Development and the wonderful work that they do here. Shout out to them!

And to all of the other members of this fabulous community, know that you are appreciated. It's nice to know that someone's got my back. Remember that I've got yours too.


Cheers,

Lauren