Lauren Della Villa

Summa-Summa-Summa Timeee

By golly, I loveee the summer time.  Family vacations, amazing memories being created with the good ol'home friends, laying by the pool, bonfires, the beach, the list goes on and on and on.  Just got back from the Cape--one of my favorite places ever.  Every summer my entireeeeeeeee family goes on vacation together for a week--it's a great time, but my family is the one that people give dirty looks to when they are out to eat at a restaurant trying to enjoy their time together then see about 40 people walk in with reservations at the table right next to them...gotta love it. 

Along with these amazinggg things that come with summer, there are also some bad things as well.  For starters--summer jobs.  I work as a camp counselor at a sports and recreation camp for my hometown and also at Bath and Body Works.  Seriously, who wants to be stuck at a day camp playing with little kids who cling to your every move and hang all over you in 90 degree weather then to end the day selling lotions and perfumes when you could be laying outside gettin' your tannn onnn..They are both fun jobs since I work with a lot of my friends...but come on...farmers tan from the camp t-shirt I have to wear, or being a bathing beauty with friends and family for the day.  You pick.

However, the biggest down side to summer for me would have to be missing my buddies from Naz.  Of course we plan to get together every now and then and arrange visits to spend some quality time with one another, but for the most part, we are working our butts off to get some money and also have tonsss of plans with the family and friends we left behind.  I talk to all of my friends from school almost every day of the week, so it's not thattttt bad.  I don't do it a lot at home (since my Mom and Dad get really sad since they hate hearing me say "Oh!! Two more months until school starts!" or "I can't wait to get back to Naz!"), but I definitely have a countdown until I move into my apartment on campus and get the school year started.

Well...I've gotta get going to bed--set the alarm for 7 am to go off and play with the kiddies...hope you're enjoying your summer & that you're staying ontop of your countdown till Naz too!!!

 

Study groups

So I just finished the second part of my American Sign Language final...so that's one class I can check off my list for the semester.  Kinda bummed it's over though...I had the same Professor for ASL 1 and ASL 2, and Naz only offers those two classes in sign language, so now I am done unless I continue to take classes elsewhere.  But our Professor was soooo fun!  It was a night class both semesters from 7-9:45 pm...gross right?  Wrong...it wasn't that bad...I actually looked forward to going to class that late.  Our Professor made class exciting and always had great stories for us...signed them all though!  I definitely plan on continuing sign language, especially since it will help out with my major. 

Anywho...there is one less final for me to worry about!  Now it's time to study for my other speech classes...stressed?  Very much.  It's ok though...I've got my friends there right beside me to study with.  Study groups are always really helpful...definitely recommend them.  Yes...I do study on my own (everyone has to), but study groups are always a great way to review with everyone-there may be an important factor that they studied and you forgot to, or vice versa.  Every Professor that I've had so far has told the class to study and review in groups so I obviously took advantage of that.  It's really relaxing too...of course you will feel stressed and anxious, but coming together in a group to study calms you down.  You realize you aren't the only one who wants to run-away from Nazareth and not take the exam.  I have always noticed that when I went to study groups with friends and other classmates, it relieved my stress...we'd get some snacks and find a nice place on campus to relax and review the material.  Comfy places on campus?...Colie's Cafe, the Diversity Lounge & Commuter's Lounge (extremelyyy comfy chairs...careful...you may fall asleep), the CAB, even your own room or kitchen area on your floor.  Also, when the weather is gorgeous and you don't want to be trapped indoors, there are a bunch of picnic tables and benches all over campus.  Not looking for a comfy-cozy atmosphere?...easy...The library has a tonnnn of group study rooms on each floor as well as individual study rooms. 

Well, time to do a tonnn of laundry and get going on some studying...ttyl!   

oh how I love this weather

The past week has been B-E-A-UTIFUL!  It's great cause even though I still have sooo much work to do, I can go outside, lay down, relax with some friends, and do my homework while trying to tan!  Gotta love it.  The one thing I love about Nazareth is that there are so many places on campus where you can go outside to do your homework.  There's picnic tables, benches, and just open area everywhere.  Yes, it is a bummer when you want to stay outside and you have class, but just keep telling yourself that afterrr class, you can lay out and do more work!  It definitely beats staying in your room or going to the library to study and work there.  I usually go out with a bunch of friends, lay out blankets, bring some music outside and do our work there.  Soooo relaxing...oh, and we also bring food...gotta have fuel for all that brain power! So I am definitely enjoying this lovely weather while I can...before...dun dun dunnn...FINALS.  ahhhh...once next week rolls around, I'll most likely stay outside to study, but I probably won't be able to focus...so I'll probably be stuck in the library again...boooo.  Well, I am going to go outside to enjoy the day as much as I can before I go back to work.  Talk to ya later!

last week of classes!

ahhhhhhhh....I can't believe it's the last week of classes before summer VACA!  This week is filled with pros & cons...pros...no more classes after this week, no more papers, no more homework, no more waking up and having to drag yourself to those certain classes you aren't that thrilled to be at, summer is right around the corner, beautiful weather...the list goes on and on and on...cons...studying for finals, and only like two more weeks with friends, oh and more studying...I miss my friends sooo much when I go home.  Either way it doesn't really work...you come to school and miss your friends from home, then go home and miss your friends from school.  However, over the summer, my friends and I always make plans to drive and meet eachother midway at someone's house for a few days to keep in touch.  You make incredibly close friendships and realize how much those people mean to you when you head home on breaks.  My friends and I already have about 3 different trips planned to meet up over summer, so until then, we're spending every minute together (and yes, that includes studying together as well).

And I can't believe the weekends overrrr...it needs to be Friday again.  This semester flew by and next year I'm a Junior!...and start clinic...so psyched!  Well, I'm going to finish up a paper then call it a night...gotta get a good nights sleep for my last week of classes! (especially since I've already had a final and another this week...it's not even finals week yet! what's going on?!)  I'll ttyl! 

Long time no blog...

So, haven't really gotten to blog in a while...each time that I'd sit down to do it I would remember about a homework assignment, paper, meeting, or group project and kept putting it off...sorry!!!  There's so much to catch up on!

First, I will start by talking about how AMAZING the Michael Buble concert was.  So we get to the arena and the ticket guy was like "Oh, we're moving a bunch of the 300 section seats down so you have to go to Customer Service."  Sweet.  So we head on over to get our new tickets, and joking around, I said, "So you're moving us to the floor right!?"...the response..."Actually, yes I am."  WHAT!  I pay $5 for a ticket through Naz and I get FLOOR SEATS!!!  Now keep in mind, floor seats were $150.  Yea...how awesome is that.  So we get to our seats, 30th row back from the stage...not bad, not bad...then we started talking to one of the security guards.  He was asking about Michael Buble and the opening act and what not...so right as the concert is about to start..."There's a few open seats up front more if you guys wanna grab them."  OF COURSE WE DO!!  No lie....we were like the 7th row away from the stage.  I was so close to Michael Buble...definitely star struck.  I'm in love.  So thank you Nazareth College...thank you for getting those tickets and charging the students $5, only to wind up 7th row back, saving $145 on floor tickets.

On another note...the past few weeks have been crazy busy.  Tonight I had the first part of my American Sign Language 2 final.  It was the expressive part of the exam so we had to communicate with our Professor on a number of different topics...so basically I've been studying and practicing that forever...paid off though...97%!  The written part is next Wednesday...gross...but then I'm done with the class!

Well, I'm off to do a tonnn of homework so I can relax later on tonight.  I promise I won't be a stranger anymore and I'll blog again tomorrow! 

Mini-Break

The past two weeks since spring break have been crazy busy.  But yesterday and tonight have basically been the first two nights since I've been back that I didn't have something due or a deadline coming up.  Awesome--got to watch more movies & relax with some friends without thinking of things to do.  Except for the fact that I have a tonnn of meetings coming up...but oh well.  Anyways, applications for the apartments here on campus were due today and I'm sooo excited to see how everything works out.  I was going to go off campus with the girls I live with now, but my schedule is insane next year...I am keeping both of my jobs (one as a Student Ambassador, the other as a Student Worker in the Speech Clinic here at Nazareth), my class schedule is going to kick my butt, and I start Clinic next fall for my major.  After arranging everything for next semester, it just made more sense for me to stay on campus--which I'm totally pysched for cause the apartments are GORGEOUSSSSS.  So instead of living with the girls I am now (which is sad and I will miss living with those crazy gals), I'm living with three of my other friends...all speech majors so obviouslyyy it's gonna be an amazing apartment and kinda works out for the best so none of us will ever miss a speech class (unless we all oversleep for some reason...)  Myself along with one of the other girls also has Junior status and awesome lottery numbers...so knock on wood for me & cross your fingers we get a good time slot to pick an apartment!!!

Well I'm going to go proof-read my suitemates paper, cause I'm just that nice, and get back to relaxing on this amazing little "mini-break" from speech homework I've had! Ttyl!

Michael Buble

This morning I sign into my email account only to find an email from Nazareth saying that one of our student activity clubs here on campus has tickets to Jimmy Eat World featuring Paramore...sweeeeeet....tickets to College Night at the Red Wings baseball game...awesome (last year it was sooo much fun!)...but most importantly...tickets to see Michael Buble in concert.  HECK YES!  I'm super psyched.  I love that Naz is always finding tickets (at a cheap price) for students to go to.  They offer transportation--saves us gas money!, and tickets are only $5!! Yes my friends, you can go to any of those three events Naz is offering this upcoming May for only $5.  I am so there.  So on April 7th, when Naz is selling the tickets, I guarantee I'm the first in line. 

So that has basically made my day.  And I needed a pick-me-upper cause I have a huge exam tomorrow that I am nottttt looking forward to.  But there's only like five more weeks of school left...where'd the time go?!

Alright, I've gotta go study some more...just wanted to fill you guys in on how excited I am that Naz gets tickets to events like this...so now I've gotta go call my sister and rub it in her face...See Ya!!

Bus Trip!

So yesterday was the Bus Trip here at Naz.  Each student ambassador is given an over-night guest and the entire night is planned out for the perspective students.  When the students arrived, we obviously had a little meet & greet before we headed to the rooms to get situated.  We also had dinner together right before the scavenger hunt!  My team lost  : (  but it was still a good time.  After that was desert and some information about clubs and organizations on campus.  Later that night was also Improv...basically a Whose Line Is It Anyways? type of game.  It was held in Colie's Cafe...what better a place...comedy & coffee! 

Today we had to drop off our perspective over-nights in one of our main academic buildings here on campus for them to register to sit in on classes.  The Bus Trip tied into Experience Nazareth today so there was a lottt going on!  Tours, panel discussions, financial aid presentations...you name it.  One bummer...had to get up at 7 am to get ready to drop them off at 8...I haven't had to get up that early since summer!  I managed though...set about 5 different alarms just to make sure...Anywho...today was busy busy  busy, even though my last two classes of the day were cancelled...which made it slightly less busy than it could've been.

This weekend though was amazing...my exam that was supposed to be today was moved to Wednesday, so I didn't have to study that much, all of my homework was already finished, and I also was asked to the RIT Military Ball...got to get all dressed up and such--gotta love it!

Well, since I didn't do that much studying this past weekend, better get to it for that Speech Science exam coming up...so off to the library I go!

Back to School

So spring break is over and its back to reality.  Huge bummer though...my break wasn't even really a break.  Filled with homework, studying, and observations.  But I was able to see my family and friends so that was a big plus.  This week has been crazy busy and next week isn't looking any better.  Summer needs to be here now!  Good thing though-the weather is starting to get nicer, snow is starting to melt...so that means walks on the canal and no more tunnels (not that us speech majors get to take them that much anyways...) 

When you go on spring break, Thanksgiving break, and winter break, it's always a great time to relax and enjoy your time at home, but you start to miss your "family" here at Naz.  I was so excited to come back and see my friends here.  Came back Monday night and had a little get together while watching The Hills...it's back on the air!!!  It was a nice time to chit chat and catch up with what's going on in our lives. 

Alrighty, I've gotta run to work then study the rest of the night for my exam tomorrow...sweet.  Talk to ya soon!

Finallyyyy

After today...it's officially spring break!  I' m so psyched that I get to go home, especially since I haven't been all semester.  It's great to have a week off of classes, catch up on some z's, and see the fam & friends from home.  Not to mention, if you have younger siblings...pick on them and rub it in their face that you're on break for a week and they aren't...gets 'em everytime.  Although I'm looking forward to break and all, I have so much work to do! I have observation hours, studying (cause I don't know about you but I love when you have exams the Friday you get back from break), papers, etc.  Gross.  However, spring break means Easterrrr! And Easter for my family means Church, getting dressed up, but most importantly...the ridiculous amounts of food from the hugeee family gatherings.  Home-cooked food.  I'm not bashing our dining halls here on campus, they have great food too...but nothing can beat Mom's home cooked food.  Ahhh soo great  : )

Well, off to breakfast and my last two classes before I hit the road!  I'll see ya later!