The One with the End of Term 1 and a Much Needed Break

This past week was our Fall Break, marking the transition between T1 and T2 (Wellesley is using a term system this year to adapt to Covid-19 related changes). Finals week and reading period went well overall but were definitely stressful as they were compressed into a shorter period than usual. Overall, I found benefits to the term system, but the fast pace of it left me looking forward to a very much needed Fall Break.

This was the first long break (one week) that I have spent on campus with friends since coming to Wellesley. Normally, I would go home to NYC for long breaks, but college Covid-19 related restrictions stopped anyone from leaving the state unless there was an emergency. I really tried to take advantage of this break to relax, catchup, and rejuvenate myself before the next term. Below are ten highlights from my fall break:

1. Al-Muslimat (ALM) Big Little Reveal- Many orgs have their own version of big/ little and it’s always a fun time to connect across grades and form relationships over shared identities and interests.

2. My block mate Macy’s birthday!- On Monday, it was my good friend and block mate Macy’s birthday, which we celebrated among our block with some delicious cake and a game night featuring Telestrations, Cards Against Humanity, Among Us, and lots of good conversations and laughter. It was a great night filled with lots of joy and happiness!

3. Planting and Painting- Al-Muslimat (ALM) collaborated with the Botanistas to plant some bromeliads and paint our pots!

4. Bouquet Making- The Paulson Initiative hosted an event where we got to put together the cutest little bouquets in tiny glass jars, using things gathered from Wellesley’s campus.

5. Truly’s with Friends- To celebrate the end of our class, my group mates from POL1200 (Americans Politics) and I went to the ville for some ice cream!

6. Charity Week Planning- I spent a large part of my break planning Charity Week as ALM’s co-social justice chair. This is an annual event where Muslim Student orgs across the globe come together to raise money for orphans and needy children across the world.

7. Walden Pond at Sunrise- (Mostly because the zipcars were booked) my friends and I decided to take a trip to the historic and beautiful Walden Pond at 7 A.M. The area, which is only about 25 minutes from Wellesley, is famous for its connection to Henry David Thoreau who lived there for a part of his life and wrote a book based on it. As someone who hardly ever wakes up that early, it was such a beautiful and memorable experience!