Oh no I've fallen behind and there's so much to tell! I've had two very interesting months in which a lot has changed. January was dedicated mostly to the VC Swim and Dive team, as our training trip took us to Fort Lauderdale, Florida for a freezing week of swimming and bonding. Twice every day we walked from our hotel to the Plantation Acquatic Center, which looked like this:
That photo was taken on a particularly rainy day when we opted out of getting into the frigid pool and did lots of running and dry land instead. See, the thing was, we happened to be in Florida during that unusual cold spell that is going to make all our orange juice really expensive for the next year. Needless to say, we made some memories. Like when we had an impromptu meet with a bunch of Division 1 schools AFTER THE SUN HAD SET. But the Friday we had off was rather pleasant, and we went to the beach as a team and enjoyed the sun and sand (see above). My roommates, Greg and Yau,
cooked lots of delicious food to help sustain us through strenuous practices. I had an absolutely wonderful week with my friends and coaches - we were together 100% of the time, so it's a good thing we all get along! And since we didn't have any homework or anything, it was really a carefree, hilarious time. One night we watched the Lion King and smeared mud masks on our face:
After seven days in Florida, we flew back to Poughkeepsie to stay in a Vassar dorm for another week. Practices continued, and so did goofing off between them. I did pretty well at our meets and got ready for approaching classes. Beginning the new semester was rough for me, since I was reluctant to end Training Trip '10 and I was struggling to figure out which classes I wanted to take. After much deliberation, I have actually filled out a form that allows me to take an "overload" of courses. So this semester I am enrolled in Art History, Sources of World Drama, and Italian (year-long courses), as well as Intro the Theater-Making, an awesome Composition class with the English department, and Drama 200, the Experimental Theater of Vassar College.
That "class" has been the biggest change in my life over the past two months. Vassar's renowned drama department puts on three full-scale theater productions a semester and ever since I heard about it, I was determined to get into the cast of "Hamlet, the First Quarto". Right as school was starting and all my friends were getting back from break, I auditioned (my first audition in three years!) for the Experimental Theater. It was a fun and terrifying experience and I could feel all my years of acting coming back to me. Then, I got in! I have been cast as Leartes, the brother of Ofelia who comes back from France to avenge his family's death and kill Hamlet. I was really thrilled to have made this play my big goal and to have gotten in, and as a lead role! That Friday I celebrated with the team, and our night deteriorated from this:
...to this...
Since February began, however, I have had close to zero time with friends because of my schedule. This has been above and beyond the busiest month of my life. I seem to be always running through the slushy snow from Italian to Comp, on the phone with a possible summer internship contact, my hair still wet from morning practice. It's been pretty difficult, and I've had to make a lot of sacrifices - I am no longer working at the Box Office, for instance - but I am confident that everything I'm doing is what I really want to be doing, which is great. My desk usually looks like this:
And yes, that's two boxes of Goldfish crackers. And a box of pizza. Neal is repulsed.
In the middle of the month, I got a refreshing visit from my mom and auntie Katie, who were visiting Vassar and New York City. They got to see my incredible Sprint Invite, the same one Dad so famously filmed last year (a Youtube sensation!), and we went into the city on Valentine's Day to see an NYU show and have fun. We ate at places that WEREN'T the All Campus Dining Center! I don't have lots of pictures, but here's Mom on Sunset Lake:
Currently I am sitting in the Martel Theater, where "Hamlet" will take place on the second weekend of April. I have just finished another session of stage combat with Hamlet and our fight choreographer. IT'S SO COOL. Lots of swinging heavy blades, and thrusting, and parrying, and "Have at you!"ing. Plus we get to die. It's really awesome to be in a play again, especially my favorite Shakespeare play.
So, right now is a huge turning point in my life, a lot of things are on the brink of happening:
1) Tomorrow we leave for our four-day State Championships in Syracuse. It is strongly advisable that you visit the Vassar Athletics website to check on our progress, because I think some really amazing things are going to happen. Like, check it on Friday, then again on Saturday, then again on Sunday. Miracles happen.
http://vassarathletics.com/index.aspx?path=mswim
http://vassarathletics.com/index.aspx?path=mswim
http://vassarathletics.com/index.aspx?path=mswim
2) I am in the process of re-thinking my junior semester abroad plans. I thought I was intent on studying in Italy, but all these English (and even Drama) classes I've been taking have assured me that I want to graduate an English major. Since it is difficult to do so while taking a semester off in Rome, I may be deciding to study in London. Either way the decision has to be made soon...
3) My spring break is a mere week and a half from now, and my plans are set. I'm spending one week near New Orleans, Louisiana to build houses with the Vassar Jewish Union as part of a service project. Then I have a week in Ashland, Oregon where I will be joining some friends in the Drama department to see shows at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival! Very exciting.
4) I'm shaving my head. Just like last year. It will help me swim fast. I'm sorry.
So stay tuned because next time I post an entry my life will have changed almost as dramatically as it has over the past two months. And now, I leave you with a video I made for my friend Greg. It requires no explanation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgsoN3qiIHo
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