It is that time of year where everyone is scrambling to secure roommates and scope out dorm choices for the next school year, so that they will be prepared for room registration the week after spring break. Unfortunately, I will not be going through this year’s room selection process, so I will not be able to give insight on that.
However, there is a plus side to my missing out on the registration process. I have been accepted into Opening Nights, a Sophomore Scholars in Residence program that is offered exclusively to rising sophomores of the class of 2012. The Sophomore Scholars in Residence initiative combines academic courses with co-curricular learning activities. It allows you to live and learn with those who share the same interests. The Opening Nights program specifically, focuses on the role of arts organizations in society by exposing students to different areas of arts through guest speakers and experience trips to Washington, D.C. and New York City.
Along with all other Sophomore Scholars in Residence programs, Opening Nights takes place in Lakeview Hall, the newest and consequently (in my opinion), nicest dorm building on campus. I will be living in a suite with either double-double or double-single rooms, a bathroom and a mini parlor that connects all three rooms. I will share a particular section of Lakeview with the fifteen other students in my program. In addition to living in luxury, I will attend two classes a week and travel to experience sites with the same fifteen students.
The Opening Nights program is a new addition to Lakeview this year and as such, has generated quite a bit of excitement. I am thrilled to have been offered the opportunity to join the program. That being said, I cannot wait for next semester!
Today, I began my volunteer work at Reid Elementary School, located fifteen minutes away from the University of Richmond. Because Reid has a large Hispanic student population, I originally signed up to work with them to fulfill a service requirement for my Spanish in the Community class. However, my first experience at the school today opened my eyes to a whole new side of Richmond that I am so glad to have finally seen. Although the Richmond campus has an increasingly diverse student population, we all ultimately share a common lifestyle as students at the University. I think that today has finally allowed me to see Richmond as more than just a campus. I finally see the city as a real, live city with a very diverse population.
As an ESL volunteer at Reid, I work with second and third grade students, helping them develop their math and English skills. Many of the students enjoy having a young “older person” to talk to. It is also easier for them to relay their problems with schoolwork, since I was in their shoes not too long ago. I thoroughly enjoy working with these students, as they show me a totally different world from my own and they bring back memories from my own elementary school days. I also enjoy the fact that I can be of any help to the students in progressing in their school work.
Again, today would count as one of those eye-opening experiences, to be cliché. Some words of advice for future Spiders: try to take at least one course that emphasizes social involvement and community-based learning while you’re here because, like me, you’ll be very grateful that you did!
And so second semester begins…
I cannot believe that I’ve already completed my first week of second semester. I know I sound in awe in many of my entries, but that’s because I really am. I am amazed at how fast freshman year is flying by! It seems like just yesterday that I had moved onto campus and didn’t know a single soul and now I have created a whole new life for myself here!
This semester, I’m better prepared for classes. Coming in last semester, I had known that Richmond would be challenging, but I had expected to have an easier time than I did. Now, I am more prepared to take on tough classes and meet high expectations. Since I have completed six out of the eight required general education courses, I had free space in this semester’s schedule to start taking business classes. After this semester, I should be done with my business pre-requisites and thus, be able to declare myself as an official Robins Business School student! It’s exciting to finally start taking classes in my field because I enjoy learning the topics, especially in as interesting an economic time as this!
In addition to my classes, I am still working at the Center of Civic Engagement. Because I have become accustomed to the CCE and its projects, I have been given more responsibility around the office, which is exciting to me. I am also starting to make plans for summer! Since I am a double major in business and Spanish, I decided to spend this upcoming summer in Argentina, taking two Spanish classes and immersing myself in a Spanish speaking environment.
I am excited for what lies ahead this semester and this summer! Stay tuned!
