Maybe these cat photos will cheer you up this finals week!

I'll admit it: finals week is getting to me. I've been spending hours watching videos on the Big Cat Rescue Youtube channel. I think my favorite one is where they play with Christmas trees and presents (seasonal!). It's not that any of my finals are particularly difficult (except my philosophy final but we're gonna pretend that doesn't exist for now). It's just that I've gotten lazy and tired and done with finals.

I mean, I only have one paper and two in class finals to go. So I shouldn't be complaining. I'm more than halfway through (3 papers down; 2 finals down; 2 classes totally completed). I just have an overwhelming desire to sleep and watch New Girl all the time now. I keep dreaming of my study abroad in Italy (just 2 weeks away!!). Right now I look like my cat Smokey who doesn't want to deal with responsibilities:

Mostly, I'm having writer's block for my last paper. I don't know how it happens, but each and every time that I have writer's block, I always end up miraculously pulling through with a paper, even when I've resigned myself to failure of the course because I won't hand in a final paper. Maybe my brain works best on adrenaline, short notice, and lack of sleep. A perfect combination for genius.

All I keep telling myself is to keep on keeping on and it'll get better in a couple of days. I find that a good way to think of finals (or presentations, or papers) is as a brief period of time in your life. Let's say you're super worried about your final exam. The way I like to think of it is that in two hours, this will all be over. I try to think of the future, past that exam or paper, either to right after the exam or a day after the exam. It keeps me from having tunnel vision about assignments. It's really easy to fall prey to the idea that this exam or paper is so important that it will stop time altogether. This is one of many exams or papers you will write. It's easy to fix a date in your mind, but life will continue after that date. Life will go on after you hand in your paper. It's just another day.

So I'll tell myself now: in 4 days, you will be done with all this craziness, on a train home to see your family and cats. You will be relaxed and happy and done with finals. And it will all be over. And you will be so close to going to Italy. And you will look like this:

Photos courtesy of my obsessive need to take pictures of my cats every single time I think they are doing something cute, which *hint* is always. Hopefully these cat photos will cheer someone up this finals week.

End of My 7th Semester

Hey, everyone!

So this is the end of my 7th semester. Oh my.

The first night of Hanukah was on Tuesday night, and for the first time ever, we had an electric menorah!

I took my Jewish history final earlier today. Not bad at all, thankfully.

Then, I spent a few hours with friends at Hunter. I had planned to go see the Rockefeller Center tree, but it was too cold so we just lounged around.

My friend got me a stuffed Corduroy! So adorable!!

Check this video out! It shows the restoration of a Renaissance sculpture that shattered to pieces 12 years ago when its pedestal couldn't support its weight. I have to go see it when I'm free next semester along with the Cubist exhibit that's going on right now.

The Met is just a must-see for anyone who wants to make a few hours of their day more beautiful.

What else to tell you all?

Some thoughts/lessons from this semester:

1. Whatever you want to do, start it!

2. Tomorrow doesn't exist yet. Only this very second exists. Do all you can with it. And yes, it's ok if that sometimes means taking naps. haha

3. Don't give up when things get tough. Ride the wave.

4. Don't be intimidated by difficult things. Break them down to make them easier to get through.

5. See the big picture. Yes, right now, you may be feeling miserable while studying, but you're doing it for a reason. Work hard now so that your tomorrow will be easier.

6. Find joy in learning.

7. Embrace creative/innovative thinking.

8. Give yourself well-deserved breaks from "life." And no. I don't mean taking Facebook breaks between working. I mean doing something that's good for you. Exercise, read a book (for pleasure), dance, listen to music, etc.

9. Plan out your time! So important so that you don't feel guilty that you never got around to something.

10. Have a regular bedtime and waking up time. (This is a hard one! haha)

I will be posting every 2 weeks until the spring semester begins. :)

S.

Quote of the Week

In graphic form.

Courtesy of Examtime.com

You're Halfway Through, Guys!

Just a quick note to say that you guys can do it, you've already gotten through two days (possibly three, as many professors seemed to have used the reading day to schedule finals earlier than originally planned by Hunter) and you've only got a few more, if that! You can do it! And then time for rest and going home, however you get home, is so close.

Going home means something different to everyone, this was me about a month ago.

PS - I turned twenty, on Wednesday!

One down, three to go?

I'm in the middle of finals week right now. I keep a running tally in my head of exams to take, papers to write, and classes that I'm 100% done with. So far, out of the four papers and four finals I have to take, I've written three papers and taken one final. Done with one class entirely. Just one paper and three finals to go. Woo.

My brain is starting to implode from all the editing and re-editing and reading and re-reading of my papers that I've been doing lately. Last night, I finished my poetry paper, only to stay up until 3 AM thinking of more ways to improve it. I had to scribble them on a piece of paper and decipher them the next morning. Apparently, my best thoughts come at 3 AM, after I've passed the tired stage of 1 AM, the loopy and everything-is-hilarious stage of 2 AM, and moved into the "obviously this is a great idea" genius stage of 3 AM. Let's just say, some of the stuff I wrote down was very confusing.

I finished my poetry paper and handed it in today. I'm sad to be done with this class (20th and 21st Century American Poetry with Amy Robbins). I took it on a whim, on the recommendation of someone who loved it. I'm not really a poetry person, and I had minimal experience/skills in analyzing poetry, but I ended up loving the class and my professor! She was so fantastic and dedicated and insightful. Truly a privilege to be in the presence of someone so great. It really goes to show that you can end up loving something you don't think you're very good at.

On the other hand, I'm glad to be done with my philosophy paper, since this class has been very difficult and stressful for me this semester. Unfortunately, I still have to take a final for this class. Who gives a philosophy final???

Last night I decided to treat myself and make a home cooked meal for myself. I made shrimp oreganata, and it was super delicious and easy to make. Here's how I did it:

1. This is usually better with very big shrimp (I think mine were jumbo ones). Deshell them; this is really easier than it looks. All you have to do is pull the shell and legs off with your fingers It's a bit of an icky job, but not terribly difficult. You can also get shrimp that are already deshelled. Place your shrimp in a bowl. 
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and coat a tray with a stick of butter. Make sure it's well-coated, because butter will burn away quickly if you don't put enough on.
3. Coat the shrimp in oil (or egg) and then dip them into Italian breadcrumbs. You can add more stuff to the breadcrumb coating, including different spices. The breadcrumbs will already have a lot in them, so check before you add anything. I just used the breadcrumbs and some pepper. You can also add garlic for extra flavor!
4. Place the shrimp on the tray in rows. They can touch each other, since they shrink when cooked.
5. Cook for 10 minutes. Shrimp cooks very thoroughly, very quickly. Make sure to flip them after 5 minutes! I didn't do this, and mine came out fine, but they might have been more even if I had. Shrimp is done cooking when it's pink. This may be difficult to tell through the breadcrumbs, but just check carefully and you'll be able to see.

I made a yam (sweet potato) and broccoli with my shrimp. This was one of the most delicious and easy to make meals ever (once I got into the swing of the recipe, that is). Cooking was relaxing after having finished two term papers (one was 13 pages, the other was 11). I ate and watched some Netflix and tried not to think about anything academic. Sometimes during finals week that's all you need: a moment to decompress.

Skirts and Cream Puffs

Hey, everyone!

The semester is just about over. Monday will be my last day of class, in which I have to hand in my final English paper of the semester. Then, I just have one final exam on Friday (for my Jewish history class). Woo hoo.

Last weekend was fairly busy. I took my mom to the doctor on Saturday in the pouring rain in Brooklyn. Then, afterwards, we picked up some presents for people.

On Sunday, we went to the mall, and I finally got myself a pair of tall black boots! And two new skirts. It's funny that this time last year, I owned only 2 skirts. In the last year, I've given away those 2 skirts (because of poor fit or because it wore out) and have bought 6 new ones. I also asked my mom to turn one of my dresses into a skirt so technically, I have 7. You might be wondering why I'm telling you all this, but I'll explain. haha. Skirts and I have a up and down history.

I owned a few skirts (that relatives had given to me) when I was in elementary school, and I would wear them in the summer time. I liked them, but I honestly don't know how good they looked on me. haha. Then, in middle school, I outgrew all of them.

When I was in 7th grade, we went shopping for a skirt to wear to an event, I tried one on that my mom said made me look like funny haha. It just wasn't the right style for me, but from then on, I kind of wrote off all skirts and told myself that I just didn't look good in them. I bought another skirt when I was a senior in high school and another one when I was a sophomore in college. But neither of them looked exactly "right" on me.

My skirt "revolution" came this past spring when I bought a black floral skirt that looked awesome on me. That made me realize that I could wear skirts so I started buying more in that style. I feel great in them, and I always get compliments when I wear them. So what I'm saying is that you shouldn't be so quick to write off something as "not for you." There are so many designs and cuts and colors out there. Find something that works for your body. Work with what you have. :)

The skirt that started it all (along with a matching top).

Ok. Style lesson over. haha.

I've been suffering from headaches all week long. I think it's a combination of the rain that we got earlier this week, school-related stress, and personal stuff. But I feel better today, thankfully. The best thing to do is to sleep it off if you can. Also, drink some tea, and listen to soft music. And definitely pop a pain reliever if your headache isn't getting any better and/or you need quicker results.

Lastly, I want to mention this bakery called Beard Papa's, which is known for its yummy cream puffs. Their NY location is just a few blocks from Macaulay headquarters on the UWS so if you're ever in the area, definitely check it out. I haven't been there in 2 years. Must get myself one of those creamy wonders soon...

S.

Quote of the Week

“I tell my students, 'When you get these jobs that you have been so brilliantly trained for, just remember that your real job is that if you are free, you need to free somebody else. If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else. This is not just a grab-bag candy game.” 

~ Toni Morrison

Birches

Hey everyone!

It's finals time, and I'm freezing. I'm always freezing during the winter and I don't know why. It's more than just normal cold. It's freezing. I'm convinced my body is half a degree colder than everyone else's body. I walked outside yesterday in the snow for 5-10 minutes max, and once I got home I couldn't feel my feet. So I try to avoid being outside during the winter for this very reason.

Nevertheless, I really like Christmas/holiday-time. Technically, I'm Jewish, but I just love Christmas. I love the lit-up trees, the snow that falls in beautiful little flurry flakes, soft and magical (this is obviously before it turns into that gross, brown slush on the street). I love presents and Christmas music (although I can only stand it for about 2 weeks before I go a little crazy). I feel like the holidays are meant to break up the awful monotony that can grip us during the winter season. It ushers students out of the fall semester and into winter break. I can't help but feel jolly, even as I struggle to complete all my papers and exams in the next two weeks. *sob*

The other day I went to the Guggenheim for the ZERO exhibit. It's a really cool postmodern exhibit focusing on experimental European art of the 50's and 60's. I went on a Friday night when it was raining, an hour before the museum closed. With my Cultural Passport, I got free admission (saved like $22). It was a quiet and rainy night, dark and beautiful in the park adjacent to the museum. It's a truly introspective experience to see this exhibit. It encompasses the whole museum, and as you spiral up the walkway, you experience a progression of thematic expression by the movement, culminating in this beautiful mechanical light show that is just ethereal. It's haunting but really calming at the same time. I would recommend this exhibit for anyone who just wants a relaxing break from finals; it kind of helped me relax enough to confront all the jumbled tasks I had stored in my mind that week.

As I left the museum, it was raining and dark, very quiet on 5th avenue along the park. The UES is really quiet at night, especially when it's raining, since there's not much to attract foot traffic.The winter is a difficult time to take long, slow walks. I inherently rush everywhere just to get out of the cold. I walked slow and took some time to think. I don't really do this enough, but it was quiet and still enough in the city for me to slow down and take everything in. I walked parallel to the park for awhile.

Last night when it snowed, I walked a bit as well. I saw the trees lined in snow and just absorbed the beauty of that for awhile. This time of year reminds me a lot of Robert Frost's poems "Birches" and "Stopping By the Woods on a Snowy Evening" (which is a personal favorite; fun fact: I memorized and recited it in second grade). Frost's poetry had stayed with me since I first encountered it when I was 7, and again in my senior year of high school. It is quiet and nuanced in its attention to nature's details. I really appreciate this type of poetry, as a break from the inherently political tone of most poems. Recently I've been reading Citizen by Claudia Rankine; the book is well-timed, what with Ferguson and the Garner case, but the weight of that narrative is heavy and painful. Sometimes I need to take a step back and read some poetry that talks about the beauty of the world and our place in it. Just looking at the snow on the trees can be curative. Being at home gives me this feeling; in comparison to the crazy energy of the city, it's quiet and there's a beauty in all of the small time pockets that exist there. Time is different at home than in the city. But I think it's important to find a curative place everywhere you go. Taking walks never seemed like my thing, but I think I'm getting the hang of it.

I'll leave you with "Birches" by Robert Frost, in the hopes that just reading it will give you the feeling I experienced when I looked at the bare trees coated with white snow.

When I see birches bend to left and right
Across the lines of straighter darker trees,
I like to think some boy’s been swinging them.
But swinging doesn’t bend them down to stay 
As ice-storms do.  Often you must have seen them
Loaded with ice a sunny winter morning
After a rain.  They click upon themselves
As the breeze rises, and turn many-colored
As the stir cracks and crazes their enamel.
Soon the sun’s warmth makes them shed crystal shells
Shattering and avalanching on the snow-crust--
Such heaps of broken glass to sweep away
You’d think the inner dome of heaven had fallen.
They are dragged to the withered bracken by the load,
And they seem not to break; though once they are bowed
So low for long, they never right themselves:
You may see their trunks arching in the woods
Years afterwards, trailing their leaves on the ground
Like girls on hands and knees that throw their hair
Before them over their heads to dry in the sun.
But I was going to say when Truth broke in
With all her matter-of-fact about the ice-storm
I should prefer to have some boy bend them
As he went out and in to fetch the cows--
Some boy too far from town to learn baseball,
Whose only play was what he found himself,
Summer or winter, and could play alone.
One by one he subdued his father’s trees
By riding them down over and over again
Until he took the stiffness out of them,
And not one but hung limp, not one was left
For him to conquer.  He learned all there was
To learn about not launching out too soon
And so not carrying the tree away
Clear to the ground.  He always kept his poise
To the top branches, climbing carefully
With the same pains you use to fill a cup
Up to the brim, and even above the brim.
Then he flung outward, feet first, with a swish,
Kicking his way down through the air to the ground.
So was I once myself a swinger of birches.
And so I dream of going back to be.
It’s when I’m weary of considerations,
And life is too much like a pathless wood
Where your face burns and tickles with the cobwebs
Broken across it, and one eye is weeping
From a twig’s having lashed across it open.
I’d like to get away from earth awhile
And then come back to it and begin over.
May no fate willfully misunderstand me
And half grant what I wish and snatch me away
Not to return.  Earth’s the right place for love:
I don’t know where it’s likely to go better.
I’d like to go by climbing a birch tree,
And climb black branches up a snow-white trunk
Toward heaven, till the tree could bear no more,
But dipped its top and set me down again.
That would be good both going and coming back.
One could do worse than be a swinger of birches.

Getting into the Holiday Spirit

From about December 28th-ish to December 18th mid-day, I am probably the worst person to try to spread the holiday spirit to. Especially in the first half of December. I celebrate Christmas, but I emphatically believe that seasonal products and entertainment should stay within the confines of their season. Plus, my birthday is the week before Christmas, and anyone who is in a similar situation knows my pain; however, I am here to talk about a few things that do, in fact, get me into the holiday spirit... Even when it's not yet Christmastime!!!!

Number One: Advent calendars! I love advent calendars. For those of you that don't know what these are, they are December 1-24 (sometimes 25th) specific calendars. Every day leading up to Christmas in December, you open the "door," or in the fancier ones perhaps a small present box, and you get a little treat. For me, advent calendars always mean chocolate, but one day I'd really love to treat myself to a nail polish one or a mini candles one. My mum usually buys my and my brother's advent calendars, or a relative sends money for her to buy them in their stead. Top tip: Trader Joe's always have really cute ones. 

Number Two: Making a Christmas/Birthday wish list. I don't usually make a super formal one, but I like to write down a few things that I would like. Mostly for my own entertainment, and so that after the holidays I remember what I wanted to use any Christmas money to buy, but I usually also let my parents in on one or two things that I would really like. Presents always make me happy, so this is kind of a given I suppose. 

Number Three: Twinkly lights! I hate early Christmas trees. Growing up, I always made my parents wait until after my birthday to put up the Christmas tree (wow, that makes me sound really quite bratty..). But (the point is) if I'm walking around the city, twinkly lights in the trees do actually make me feel pretty festive. Or at least, more willing to be. Further up 23rd, around where the Home Depot are, there are a bunch of trees with lights on and I was over there on Sunday evening, and it looked really sweet. 

Number Four: Hot chocolate. I mean, come on, do I have to write a paragraph.

With all that said, as the semester is winding down, I do wish you all the best of luck with your final exams and papers and presentations. You have earned a good relaxing few weeks, or closer to two months if you aren't taking any winter classes or working at all. And, if you have a little trouble getting into the holiday spirit - Christmas or other December/January holiday - maybe just stir up some hot chocolate and put on a fireplace ~mood background on your computer.

Ps. I tried to keep this as holiday-neutral as possible, but it's also personal and I celebrate Christmas, so of course that will show through. But, whatever you celebrate or don't celebrate, I do wish you all the best for finals, and for the New Year.

Black Squirrels and Quiet Fridays

Hi, everyone!!

It's one of the last Fridays of the semester so that means classes will be over by next week and then the rush to conquer finals will begin!

But for now, it's a quiet Friday afternoon, and I have Pandora playing in the background. It's funny because when I first turned on Pandora today, one of Sam Smith's songs was the first to play. I was thinking of him earlier today because he's been nominated for 5 Grammy awards this year! There will probably be a 6th nomination later tonight during CBS's Grammy special. I'm so happy for him! He is truly talented and deserves all of this success and more.

I submitted two poems to be published in the December edition of The 67th Street Scribe, and they were both published this week! Writing poetry is one of my biggest passions, and I love when I get to share it with the world. This club just started this semester, and they've been getting some great submissions so definitely check them out! And for you prospective students out there, this is a great way to get your work out there if you end up at Macaulay. :)

Speaking of getting involved, a club that I've mentioned several times on this blog is The Macaulay Messenger. My partner and I are currently editing the last batch of articles for the semester, and we hope to publish by Monday. Writing for The Messenger is another great opportunity to get your work out there once you're attending Macaulay.

On Monday, my friend and I went to Central Park and spent some time enjoying the unusually warm weather. I love that it's only 3 avenues from Hunter, and I can just head over there when I don't feel like being inside. It's beautiful this time of year in a haunting way. The trees have lost their leaves so the leaves are all scattered on the ground. The sky is filled with clouds and everything is in shades of gray with hints of green, brown, and orange/yellow/red.

Beautiful, right?

A black squirrel that we followed around for awhile. haha. 

Studying us from a tree.

S.

Quote of the Week

“Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment.” 

~ Rumi, Masnavi i Man'avi, the spiritual couplets of Maula

Thanksgiving Sweet Potato Mash

Hey everyone!

Last weekend I (and everyone in the populated world) went home for Thanksgiving. Since I was 14, my mother and I have made the turkey together. It was a point of pride for me, considering I had no idea how to cook then. Now that I'm at college and reasonably well-versed in cooking, I decided to take on some more responsibility for our Thanksgiving dinner. As in all of the responsibility. Thankfully I was only cooking for 8. Here's a short run-down of all of the stuff I made by myself this Thanksgiving:

• Turkey (17 pounds!)
• Acorn squash with nuts and fruit
• Rice pilaf (this is what we stuff our turkey with)
• Steamed and stir-fry broccoli in oil
• Haricots-verts in garlic and oil
• Salad (huge!)
• Sweet potato mash
• Stuffing (on the side)

It only took me 6 hours to do all of it. The hardest part was the timing of cooking everything so that it was ready and hot for when the guests actually sat down to dinner, but not overcooked and burnt. My point of pride this Thanksgiving was my sweet potato mash. I made it from scratch. Here's how I did it:

• I bought 5 sweet potatoes, peeled them and cut them into small square chunks.
• I boiled the sweet potatoes until they were soft/I could put a fork through them.
• I mashed them by hand with a large fork until they were smooth. You could also whip them use a hand blender, but only if you want them to be a little frothy.
• This was the fun part. Sweet potatoes are only mildly sweet on their own, so I had to add lots of spices and sweetener. I used cinnamon, nutmeg, Vermont maple syrup, maple agave, and rum extract. There are lots of options to sweeten your potatoes, from pure brown sugar and butter, to maple syrup, to agave. You can also add vanilla extract for some extra yummy taste. I've even seen mash with marshmallows. 
• I used healthy doses of each one of these spices, not really measuring, just tasting along the way. Make sure you have lots of people taste it as you go along. Too much nutmeg can ruin it. Too much agave or maple syrup, not so much.
• Another option once your potatoes are boiled and mashed is to bake the potatoes in a ceramic bowl, which brings out the flavor of the spices. 
• Last, you can keep the skins in there if you want to add a little extra crunch to your mash.

I was really scared about these sweet potatoes since I kind of winged the recipe from a couple different online sources, but everyone loved them. The other dishes I did well enough on. The turkey came out well, really juicy. I almost burned half of the vegetables, mostly because I couldn't figure out the timing or heat levels of my stove. It's weird cooking at home after cooking at the dorm for so long. I kind of got used to knowing what the heat levels on the stove at the dorm meant and was baffled trying to figure out what equalled a 6 on the stove at home.

Anyway, I really enjoyed cooking my Thanksgiving dinner. I really like hearing about alternative recipes and options for Thanksgiving dinners. Let me know if you guys have any you really like that you make in your family. New recipes are so fun.

The Big Rush

           Well, I've finally reached that time of the year when students start panicking. With there being only 2 weeks left in this semester and finals week coming up soon, I find myself meeting deadlines one after another. I have about 4 assignments due within the next two weeks and who knows why I didn't start them. But even so, I found my first semester at Hunter College to be very relaxing and fun. As a college student, I now get a lot of free time to plan out my own schedule each week. Is it just me or is college more relaxing than high school?
          Anyway, many of my friends have already begun to ask ourselves what we would like to do after college despite the fact we've only just started college! But I am also guilty of that myself. A lot of what we do in college determines how much opportunities we would get to do anything else after college. This prompts us to plan out the next four years of our college lives without considering how much we would change during those four years. Some people have already decided to limit the kinds of classes they take by doing a double major.
           But personally, I think we should all just enjoy the process of taking different kinds of classes in the beginning. We might find different interests due to one class we take and become inspired us to consider a career in a particular field. Although it is good to plan ahead, we shouldn't rush ourselves to finish college at the expense of our excitement. There is a lot that we can discover in college through classes, extracurriculars, and friends. So for everyone like me who is guilty of trying to make college a big rush, let's try to relax and spend the first year finding ourselves within these vast amount of opportunities we have.

~Justin