The last day of class has come and gone! This semester––my whole first year really––has flown by and I cannot believe that as of Friday I will be a sophomore. Although I imagined being at Wellesley with my friends enjoying a New England spring, I am reflecting on my favorite memories from my first year and looking forward to being back on campus soon.
Last week to end our American Studies class on the Gilded Age, my professor took us on a virtual tour of the mansions in Newport, Rhode Island. Our class was supposed to take a field trip to tour the Breakers a few weeks ago, but along with many events this semester it was cancelled. My professor improvised by showing us pictures from past trips and we experience Newport from across the country and world!
Mid-finals week, I have papers starting to pile up. Luckily, I have a first draft done of one paper and I’m in the throes of research for another. I have been having a difficult time focusing to get work done since I am a coffeeshop writer. I love to plop down at the Peet’s in the Ville and write for five or six hours powered by adrenaline and caffeine. One of my other favorite places to work, despite being somewhat less productive, is the Shafer living room surrounded both by friends and strangers. Being under shelter-in-place has meant that I can’t work in public spaces like I love to do. It has definitely been a challenge, but I am attempting to recreate the experience by making copious cups of coffee!
My view these days –– whipped coffee at my desk!
I have been enjoying the weather here in Northern California by starting to work outside! It has been warming up and despite raining today seems like it will be a lovely week. I also started watching the new season of Survivor: Winners at War. I don’t usually watch a lot of live tv on campus, but now that I’m back home I dove back in! This season is everything that a Survivor fan (or really any reality tv fan) wants–– former winners, new twists, and a big prize at stake.
My reading has slightly slowed with finals next week, but I just finished Evvie Drake Starts Over, a wonderful debut from Linda Holmes. Holmes is actually the host of one of my favorite podcasts, NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour! Now I am starting a collection of essays called Too Much: How Victorian Constraints Still Bind Women Today by Rachel Vorona Cote and the novel Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore.
Hang in there!