Amid All the Stress

...So...I was walking to the Kiosk a little while ago for a heavenly Starbucks Frappuccino when I look up and see...a freakin' RAINBOW over Main!! I'm not kidding - it's completely sunny outside but there's a rainbow projected over a streak of clouds on top of Main! It's lovely. I mean... it doesn't erase the fact that everything seems out of my control right now but... it helps? Maybe that's just me - I love rainbows. Breathe in, everybody. Step out for a bit, feel the sun and breathe...it'll be over soon (that's what I keep telling myself).

Good luck to you all!

Aletheia

UPDATE: Pic!

Exit, Pursued By A Bear

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing Shakespeare Troupe's new play: The Winter's Tale. Now, I won't give anything away for those of you who haven't seen it, but I will tell you to expect a lot of laughing, singing, drama, a little bit of confusion...and maybe some tears. The Winter's Tale is also known to have Shakespeare's most famous stage direction: "Exit, pursued by a bear".

As you may or may not know, the plot goes more or less like this: Leontes, King of Sicilia, accuses his pregnant wife Hermione of committing adultery with Polixenes, King of Bohemia (and Leontes' childhood friend). The events develop dramatically and we end up sixteen years later in Bohemia, where Leontes' lost daughter lives and has fallen in love. I won't say more, and let you guys find out, but let me tell you that it's definitely worth it. The set, the music and the lights set the perfect mood for such an inspiring play.

Look out for the bear!
Aletheia

FacebookFacebookFacebook

OK, so - I have to admit I DO love spending hours and hours just looking at pics, profiles and new notifications on Facebook. It's brilliant! I love Facebook, I won't deny it - it's the perfect stalker tool... but(and) I love it (let out your inner stalker? - scary). It's the one place where I find most of the information I need about all the stuff that goes on around me (events, random groups, gossip -healthy gossip I mean-, etc.)

But today I log on and learn about the new feature - FACEBOOK CHAT!! For serious?!?! I honestly don't know how to react to this. On the one hand it's awesome because I do have a thing for instant messaging...but one the other hand I'm terrified that Facebook might suck me in even more! LOL. Okay, maybe I shouldn't be that dramatic... I'm just concerned that one day it'll go too far. (Add dramatic background music).

Maybe that's just me. Who knows - for now I'll enjoy the practical side of it and I'll make sure I'm getting enough sun and fresh air out there.
Peace!

Aletheia

I Think I'm Addicted to Nilda's

No, seriously. I've been eating Nilda's brownie cookie almost every day for a while now! Fat? I don't care, it's chocolate, chocolate makes me feel good AND it tastes yummy. That's all the reasoning I need. Haha. Now I wonder how many Vassar kids are also obsessed with Nilda's? I mean, they're not the best pastries in the world but we're pretty spoiled with them for being in college.

By the way, this is a good opportunity to mention the benefits of CHOCOLATE! Yes, that heavenly thing that gives us (particularly girls) the feeling of being in love has a lot of health benefits. Of course, not if you eat sugary, processed chocolate. I mean dark chocolate, the good stuff: It has a lot of antioxidants, which are very beneficial for your body. It's also good for your heart and against all common belief it does not cause acne. Plus, the fat that you gain from chocolate is much, much healthier than the fat that you get from, say...fries. Besides, chocolate is a mood elevator that is not addictive.... unless you're me. Now, I'm not saying Nilda's chocolate brownie cookie compares to dark chocolate in health benefits but...heh...I needed to write something to make me feel good about eating it!

With choco-love,
Aletheia (I almost signed that “Nilda” for some reason…)

L is For the Way You Look at Me

Post… post… I’m thinking, thinking… I can’t think of anything right now. I’m still really truly tired from my very, very eventful weekend. And at the same time I have a million things on my mind. Want to hear a couple? Well…I’m trying to figure out how to make this week 210 hours long (6 extra hours each day wouldn’t hurt, right guys?), I’m also trying to comprehend why I can’t seem to understand some people that are inescapably part of my life. People I love, of course, but that are set on playing with my feelings, even if those feelings are not the same anymore. Know what I mean? My past catches up to me once in a while, and even though I love reminiscing, I don’t want to go back to the same things. I believe I’ve grown. Apart from that…my present, hah… that’s a fun one. Okay, tell me if I’m going crazy but has anybody experienced this?: When you’re interested in someone and you inevitably look their way…and you realize that they’re looking at you too, and it happens repeatedly… and you feel that you’re not the only one making eye contact… It’s nothing… but it’s so important at the same time. Have you guys ever felt that? It’s interesting… adds a little magic to this game we’re all playing. Or maybe I’m just imagining things, but I don’t think so (hint, hint).

Keep surviving!
Aletheia

On Procrastination

So…. I’m back from Spring Break (and I know that you’ve heard this a million times already), had a wonderful time, now I have to catch up with all the work I neglected for two weeks…Exasperation! I cannot believe that 3 days in I’m already freaked out about upcoming papers, events, people visiting, working on other stuff, etc. Even so…I still find it incredibly easy to go into another hallway and lose 2 good hours doing nothing! There we go: procrastination. Of course I feel terrible when it’s 2 AM and I have yet to read 50 pages of a book, but I can’t help prioritizing quality time with other people. I simply find it very important. Like Ellen DeGeneres says in her stand-up about procrastination: “all we’ve got is here and now… and that’s why procrastination feels so right!” And, honestly, fifty years from now what will I remember? What will be the pleasant and satisfactory memory? Most likely the one about the random but entertaining time I spent with other people. Yes, yes, we do have responsibilities and getting 5 hours of sleep sucks (I need 8!!)…But I still believe that the memories we build with others, the unexpected experiences that we come by…those are truly valuable things. Just as long as we don’t stay up till 3:30 AM…it’s not too bad.

Aletheia

The Little Existentialist Post That Could...(?)

I'm back! I know, I know... I didn't post anything last week... but I hope that the other RayRay correspondent's amazing post, as well as my comments on other posts kinda made up for it.

This little phenomenon I call midterms week is ever so amusing: everybody acts strange, the goth style takes over (dark circles under the eyes) and chocolate and coffee are required for survival. Ahhh....college. But now...onto the important stuff...

Some time ago I read a comment by one of our readers saying that it would be interesting for us to write about the negative aspects of our experience here at Vassar... Controversy? Of course I'll jump right in! So here we go.

First of all let me state that I do believe that Vassar is the right place for me to be in. I am more than sure that I made the right choice. That, however, does not mean that I'm a 100% satisfied with how things are going. Personally, I need more. I still feel kinda lost somehow. Here's the deal: I know exactly what I want to do with my life (and I'm following that path) and I know the type of person I want to become. Also, I take Carpe Diem really seriously and try to make the most out of everything. Result so far? I'm not satisfied. Don't misinterpret me: I love the people I've met at Vassar and I know that I will meet more and more interesting human beings. But...I feel like I'm not fully myself, there are some aspects that are somehow dormant in me. Back home I felt completely in control. Even when there were conflicts or when I was confused, deep down everything felt right. I was fully the person I wanted to be with my friends. I experienced wonderful things with them and they taught me things I never would have imagined. Here, although I am very grateful for all I have lived, I feel like something is missing...what people keep telling me is that, believe it or not, I'm still adapting, and I think it's true... we never cease to adapt...specially at this age. I also think back and remember all the time it took me to reach that point with my friends back home...a whole lot. I think that if I feel the urge to do the things I'm "missing", I should just do them and be satisfied. MUCH easier said than done. I'm human...of course I'm afraid.

Still...something inside of me keeps telling me to hang in there. My hope is way too strong for my own good (LOL). Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed my little existentialist contribution this week.

Lots of love and chocolate,
Aletheia.

Valentine's and No Regrets

So…now that I’m well informed on room draw and well fed, thanks to our wonderful study break (thanks Vendi!!!), I shall comment a bit (and I do realize it’s late for this) on Valentine’s Day. Just a quick observation: when I went out exactly a week ago, I was already imagining seeing every student dressed in white, red and pink, but I ended up seeing much more blue and gray than red. This surprised me, and I was actually very amused by it because I thought about the possible causes for this: maybe Vassar is too hippie for Valentine’s day, maybe the students are more worried about getting to class on time than what they’re wearing that morning, or maybe we’re too smart to give into a Hallmark celebration. Whichever the reason, I concluded that…I’m just so glad it’s Vassar! Now…I leave you with a thought that came to my mind just now:

The stories I’ll tell

When I grow old I don’t wan to run out of stories to tell. You know those old people who have lived so much and so well that they always have some tale to pass on, something inspiring, impressive, and if you’re lucky (and if they feel like it) passionate. That’s who I want to become. You know when, after living a very intense moment (the ones we remember the best) you feel like taking things easy? You don’t need the thrill anymore, you’ve had enough for a while and you can simply relax. That’s how I want to live my life. I’m hoping that it will be so intense and so full of passionate (and even dramatic) moments, that when I reach a certain age (in which also, by the wonders of human nature, I will no longer be as…dynamic) I’ll feel as if I had enough. I don’t mean to say that I’m ever going to stop doing things and living…but…I guess the point I’m trying to make is: when I reach a certain point in my life, when there’s no turning back, I want to make sure that there’s nothing I regret not doing. It’s what we hope for, right?

Aletheia

Macaroni and.....

Raymond correspondent checking in!
OK, I know that was kinda cheesy but hey, it's what I felt like saying! And that's what you're in for with me: complete honesty, a little bit (a lot) of craziness and some cynicism thrown in there.

But don't worry, I promise it'll be splendid.
Luv,
Aletheia