As my internship at the Rubin takes off, the semester is coming to an end.

My internship at the Rubin Museum of Art has just started to take off. I lead my first tour for second graders on Wednesday and on Friday I co-lead a tour with a fellow Macaulay student, Irene. It was very intimidating and nerve-wracking but afterwards I was relieved that I had gotten valuable experience and also valuable critique from my supervisor. Giving tours of art is an art in it of itself. There is such an immense amount of theory and previous scholarship behind current museum education methods and incorporating that knowledge on a one hour tour of two to three pieces in the galleries is challenging to say the least. But it is also immensely rewarding. But perhaps even more rewarding is working with the Teen Guide Council who on Friday also gave their first tours of pieces as a team to fellow teens from the Whitney Museum of Art and the Bronx Museum. Having been in the program for two years, yesterday was an important day for them; a graduation of sorts. They are starting to take over the program that my supervisor has worked so hard to create and are becoming young leaders and professionals. They inspire me every time I work with them and they will continue to do so.

On the classes front, this semester has not been that great. I am not that interested in two of my classes and the other two are quite difficult. Actually, they are all pretty difficult. Chinese and Japanese Art is extremely tough because the time periods and context for the art is presented in a very confusing and disorganized manner. My other course I am not crazy about is an honors course where the readings do not interest me. My grades will be pretty good for all of them hopefully; nothing below A- is what I'm pulling for. I have four final papers to write and a cumulative final exam so I will have to work hard in the next three weeks. I am really looking forward to next semester because I think the classes will be better and I will be much more focused.

Sociology Club has not really gotten off the ground since I am the only one working on it and have not heard back about a meeting I wanted to arrange to reinstitute it. I am currently looking over paperwork and praying we can maintain its club status and have some event before the holidays or at least over January. By this upcoming May, I hope everything will come together so that in my senior year the club can be much more active. I also am looking forward to getting back into volunteering. I have been too busy lately and also suffered from several bouts of the cold or flu. This semester has been blegh so far... But I am not giving up! Hopefully, I can turn it around by next month! =)

~ Amanda