Student Views

For some reason, I always go into the beginning of school years with this idea that the first couple weeks will be chill and relaxing. That it’ll take a bit for things to pick up, that I’ll have some time to get back into the swing of things…

Wrong.

When I got back to school this year, I hit the ground running. I’m only taking 12 hours right now, so it’s not totally that my classes that are getting to me - it’s my ten billion extracurriculars. Okay… maybe not ten billion. But I will admit that I’m borderline over-committed. This year I’m the student worker for the Office of Civic Engagement, an awesome job in which I support students by informing and starting conversations about activism and service on campus and help link students to opportunities involving both. I’m the vice president of SEAK and it’s been a bit of work getting all that started for the year (we had 65 people at our first meeting!) I’ve also been getting my application for study abroad put together - who knew that would be so frantic! Then there’s a smattering of other organizations - ADPi, Sustainability Committee, Student Peace Alliance, Student Congress… There are just so many exciting things going on and I want to be a part of it all…

As I mentioned a bit earlier, SEAK definitely got off to a good start. We had an awesome first Recess on the Mall and had 65 people at our first meeting! We have some crazy cool things on the books for the year - expanding recycling and composting around campus, working on rain water collection systems, bringing in speakers on environmental racism and justice, and continuing environmental education programs with local schools. I get all giddy when I think about it.

I’ve also been playing a bit with a new (to me) film camera that I picked up at a thrift store. I forgot how much fun it is to anticipate what your pictures are going to look like. It’s been nice to live without that instant gratification for a little bit.

Some SEAKers playing at our first event of the year - Recess in the Dark

More Recess!

Somehow, I’ve still been mildly successful at maintaining a social life while juggling my commitments. Labor day weekend I helped a friend celebrate her birthday in Austin then went to a concert with my brothers in San Antonio then came back to SU to hang out with friends and entertain my parents when they came to visit- gotta love those jam packed three day weekends!

My momma helping me pick out some potting soil for my new kitchen window herb garden

My friend Dara cooking some delicious pasta

The concert in San Antonio - it was in an old church that was made into a bar and music venue.

So, generally, life around here is crazy but great. I’ve got a pretty intense semester ahead of me. In the next couple weeks I’ll have more SEAK awesomeness, the annual Peace Walk in Austin, Fall Rush for ADPi, and a few trillion other cool things - thank goodness I love what I do or my next entry would be about me going nuts…