Amani, ‘12

Hello hello, Prospectives!

My life at this school has been so busy!  Midterms and papers have been swallowing up my free time and social life.  I’ve been stressed out, and I’m pretty sure that the sentiment is resounding across campus.

The unfortunate events began about a week and a half ago when my teacher posted sources for our term paper due today.  As nice as it would have been to get started on that paper then, I couldn’t because I had a midterm in the class due on the Monday of Fall Break.  Yeah, I know…why would he do that to us?  So much for having a break.  Mind you, the midterm was a paper.

Ok, so after that paper consumed my entire Fall Break last weekend, I had to turn around and get started on my term paper that was due today—6-10 pages on pretty much the stuff covered in the midterm.  The point of it all?  Who knows.  But I can tell you all that I struggled.

I had been highly upset that my teacher would do such a thing as have such a weighty assignment due over our supposed break period, but I was even more disillusioned with this particular professor when I spent my entire past weekend working on this term paper.  Two weekends in a row gone to two papers which both count for large portions of my final grade.

I have never had much trouble writing papers at all, but considering the amount of mental exertion I’ve had to endure with these assignments on top of all of my other classes, I did indeed struggle for the term paper.  Every day I sat on my laptop and tried and tried to work toward my goals, but never quite accomplished them.

It was not until today at 4:45 p.m. that I finished and finally submitted this term paper.  Currently to show for my effort, I have a piercing headache and bags under my eyes.  Hopefully, however, all of my toiling will pay off with a rewarding grade.

We can only hope.

Best wishes to you in all of your current academic endeavors!  Perseverance is key! 

Amani

Hey there, Prospectives!  Hope all is going well…

For the past two weeks, I’ve been bogged down with a Spanish group project, preparing for a Calculus test, and writing my second big CORE essay.  My workload has been pretty heavy, not to mention the various meetings and practices I’ve had—but hey, that’s college! 

It actually hasn’t been that bad, especially because my Spanish project was really fun—we had to make a telenovela, or a Spanish soap opera.  As you can imagine, we had so much fun with the storyline, as did our fellow classmates.  The only thing that was a little challenging was making sure that all of our grammar and spellings were correct, because it was completamente en español (completely in Spanish).  Many groups recorded their telenovelas and simply showed their videos to the class, which is what my group did.  However, there was one group that acted out their telenovela in class—it was bold to do because it meant that everyone had to know all of their lines prior to starting and maybe added nervousness from being in front of the teacher and the class, but they did a really great job.  Check out my group’s video below!

Oh yes, I cannot forget to tell you all my good news!  I found out this weekend that I was accepted into the summer study abroad program to Seville, which is in Spain!  I’m so excited!  I plan to minor in Spanish, and after taking two semesters this year, I thought it would be good to immerse myself in the culture in order to improve upon my speaking and comprehension skills, so I applied to the study abroad program.  And now I’m in it!  It costs a little under $5000, not including transportation there and back, but it’s worth it.  The cost includes tuition for two classes, room and board, and about three or four mini excursions.  Of course spending money and any other expenditures are not covered, but I think it’s a pretty good deal.  Not to mention there are lots of scholarships available that will cover about $2000, so it’s not so bad.  Also, I plan to use my one-time $3000 stipend that I have as an Oliver Hill scholar.  So for my airfare and anything extra, I’ll just be working over my Christmas break!  (I do take donations!  Make your checks out to Amani’s Expanding Education Fund, lol.) 

And now I’m home for Thanksgiving break—it could not have come at a better time!  I’m so happy to be at home in my own room (with my bed on the floor)…and it’s nice to be with my family.  Last night I made candied yams for the first time, and I did it all by myself! (My grandmother gave me a general overview at the start, but she wouldn’t tell me anything further when I asked—she said that I couldn’t hurt them, so to make them to my discretion, lol.)  And today, I helped my other grandmother with her delicious sweet potato pies—and it was historic because we actually have a written recipe for them now!  For all the years that she’s been making them, she has never once stopped to write down the ingredients and steps.  While we still don’t have the recipe for just one, we do have a recipe for four pies, so eventually I’ll be able to make one perfect pie!  :-)  And I think I might just become a sweet potato extraordinaire!  hehe

Now I’m just waiting to indulge in all of the awesomeness of food that is tantalizing my taste buds from downstairs—won’t dare to count calories today (not that I ever do, lol).  And tomorrow, well, I’ll be fighting all of the crazy people at the malls and stores for the merchandise that goes on the same sales at days other than Black Friday, lol.  All in the holiday spirit, of course! 

Hope you are enjoying your families!  Have a happy Thanksgiving, Prospectives!

Amani
This is what happens when he thinks no one is watching lol

My sister and her cool tights …on the phone with family

Me, also talking to family…trying to finish a piece of cake that I had no room for lol

My brother attempting to be cool with his matching socks haha