Productivity...

Surprise, surprise....today was actually productive. Went to the Stonehill College library and put like 100 books on hold to start that research paper I've been putting off. The funny thing is that it wasn't actually that productive of a day, it just feels like it because I did that one minor thing. It's a start though - they say that the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.

I also went to the mall and got new makeup. Whew, exciting. Actually, it was worth writing about. So I go to the Nars counter, which is my favorite makeup line ever ever ever, to get my favorite foundation (Nars Sheer Glow Foundation, amazing!!), and there was no one there to help me, except the lady from Dior. I hate this lady from Dior. You have to understand that girls are very specific about their makeup - especially those of us for whom it takes 20 tries to find one that doesn't cause us to break out instantaneously. So when this lady dared to question my choice of foundation, and suggest some weird spray makeup, I was very angry. I just wanted my Nars. And then instead of trying to help me find the right shade (I'm a little darker now because it's SUMMMERRR!!!), she just kinda let me do it myself. I do not like this. What happened to service?

Okay, enough complaining about the makeup counter lady. On another note, I have made a goal for the summer: NO BOYFRIENDS. I should say "boyfriend" singular, since that seems to be the pattern - I find a boyfriend for the summer, things last a couple of months into the new year, and then it ends. Well. Enough of that. I am going the City of Lights in the fall and I want to be 100% certified SINGLE. Enough of this complicated relationship shit, I can't deal with it...a summer hook-up is one thing, but no boyfriends. No commitment. Eew.

Tomorrow I'm headed to Narragansett to hang out with Allie for the day, on the beach. I am so glad I found a fellow Smary's girl who lives nearby, who is cool, and who shares my love for boys and alcohol, and the sometimes the combination of the two. My mom is trying to convince me to bring a cooler of goodies for the two of us. The plan is to sneak in some wine. What can be better than wine on the beach? Nothing, I tell you, nothing!!

Down by the Bay

Summer has officially begun. Last night I drove over an hour to Rhode Island to meet up with Allie, who finished work at 9 and, like me, was desperate to get out of the house. I did not care that I had to drive an hour, through Providence, at 9 o'clock at night. The drive itself was worth it: me, some sweet music, and the humming of the car as I pushed 80 on the highway. I needed so badly to get out, and just go. We found each other at the Mobil station in Narragansett, after I drove around a rotary for about 10 minutes straight - this felt very sketchy, but nonetheless I was ecstatic to see someone from school, especially Allie, with whom I spent 6 hours drinking on a hammock a couple of weeks ago. We went to BK for a very late dinner (my stomach always does twists and turns when I eat any fast food, but it was so necessary), and then found Stefano. This was not quite as easy as it sounds...my driving skills are sub-par, to put it one way, and Jessica, my GPS, likes to mess with my head. It was interesting. We finally ended up, somehow, on a beach with Stefano and a couple of his friends, just talking and hanging out. This was all I needed - laughter, good stories, a cool and crisp night near the water. It was lovely :)

I left pretty early, since Allie had to go to work anyway, and stopped for coffee on the way home. I love this freedom. I love being able to do what I want, and not thinking about school or classes or sailing. I enjoyed the drive home almost as much as the drive there - I had stolen my sister's iPod, since mine was on its deathbed when I left last night, and since she has amazing taste in music, it was a blissful ride with the perfect soundtrack. The drive there was better though - it was dark, and pretty late, and something about it felt dangerous. Not that there is anything dangerous about Rhode Island in May, but I guess the spontaneity of driving an hour just to meet up with a friend from school, going through a city at night, etc. Yes it seems naive, but so far since I've been home I've done nothing but watch movies and procrastinate, so this was a walk on the wild side for me. Tuesday we are planning on going to the beach, since it's going to be pretty hot and sunny. I cannot waiiitttt!!!!

In the meantime, I've got paperwork to do and papers to write, and doctors to see and unpacking to do...but maybe I'll just put that off too...

Bored in Massachusetts

Ohmigod. I cannot wait for camp to start. There is nothing exciting about suburbian Mass in the summer. Nothing. Today, I ran errands with my dad. This consisted of going to the Post Office, a Middle Eastern/Greek store, and the Farmer's Market. Oh my god. I came home and zoned out by watching the last 20 minutes of Charlie's Angels and then "Nine" (which was actually pretty awesome), and am now waiting to head to Rhode Island to visit a friend or two. Only after driving my lovely sister to a sweet sixteen....yum.

Home Sweet Home

I am finally home. Let me just make a quick list of what this means:

1. water pressure

2. cleanliness

3. unpacking

4. a little more lonely than at school

5. dishes - sinks - food - OH MY!

6. pets

You get the idea. It's a little weird, I am not going to lie. Taking a clean shower, with water pressure (at 3 pm this afternoon) was a little crazy. I feel like I have so much to do now that I am home, with my family, but I am not quite ready to get the ball rolling on all of it. I think I'll give myself a couple of days to relax before I get things going again. I have to unpack anyway.

It is definitely good to be hanging out with my sister again. She is HILARIOUS and has been keeping me cheery since I've been home. Still, I cannot wait for my summer at TASP to begin, and even better - PARIS! Be on the lookout for this blog to change to a more aptly titled documentation of my time in the City of Lights. Until then...

Team Spirit and Stolen Property

Living together as a team for a week is certainly an experience. So far we've been having a pretty good time, hanging out, eating a LOT of pizza, and of course, sailing. Today's practice was amazing - sailed with Mimi (best boat ever...and the hottest, obviously) and we had so much fun. The wind was solid, the waves were rolling, and I was able to get over my nerves and just enjoy the wind and waves. The best was planing - the 420's surf the waves really smoothly and we could just fly downwind. It was a little cold, and raining pretty hard, but it made it feel all that much more badass - and we were working so hard I was actually sweating, so I didn't mind the cold.

The only problem with practice week is the living situation. Cramped together for a week straight, tensions running high, not on a normal eating/sleeping/workout schedule - it gets overwhelming. Especially with everything going on in my life right now, it is trying for sure. But Mimi and I are enjoying living together and making a mess of our tiny room, so it's ok :)

Speaking of...this weekend as I was moving into our assigned housing on the Greens, almost half of my belongings were stolen. I left them on the back patio because I couldn't move in yet and I needed to go get another car load of stuff, and when I came back my stuff had been rummaged through. My clothes were all there, but my laundry basket, detergent and two huge containers of pots, pans, dishes, etc. were all gone. Along with these minor items, my two favorite pairs of heels were gone (super expensive, nice heels that are a staple to my wardrobe) as well as my entire movie collection (except for Forgetting Sarah Marshall which is in my backpack for some reason). The most tragic of all, however, is that all of my jewelry was taken. This wasn't cheap, or even new, but was antique and much of it had belonged to my dad's mother, who died when I was a baby. It also included earrings given to me by my grandmother, as well as a jewelry box that was given to me by my mom which had been given to her by her grandmother, who practically raised her. It was an antique from the 20's or 30's and was one of the only things in my room of sentimental value. The other, my mother's jade elephant pendant and chain from India, I had luckily thrown into my boat bag that day so I could wear it tomorrow, and was saved. This leaves me with my one pair of pearl studs given to me by my mom, my Cape Cod bracelet and Caribbean hook bracelet, and my jade elephant. That's everything. I feel like I've lost a piece of me :(

In all this, however, there was something good. I randomly ended up hanging out with a girl who I knew a little bit, but not very well, and she helped me move to the Greens on Saturday. She was there as I fell to pieces over my stolen property, and when I had moved my stuff in and broke down crying on the bed, she emerged with a Tiffany bean necklace that she had brought for me - she said she never wore it and thought I deserved to have at least one necklace to wear (I hadn't found the saved elephant at this point). It was one of the most beautiful moments I have seen - truly genuine in kindness, she realized what it meant to have so many precious items taken, probably to be pawned off somewhere. I don't think I will ever forget what a nice thing it was for her to do - I haven't taken the necklace off since: it reminds me that in all the dark chaos in the world, there are still people who see the good and look out for others before themselves.

It has been a very crazy few days, and it is about to get crazier. But I know that my friends will be there, and some light will shine through :)

Graduation Day, Packing and Blue Wind

Today is Graduation day for the St. Mary's College of Maryland class of 2010. Crazy!! It is so weird to think that a large portion of my team and friends will not be here next spring when I return from Paris. Graduation always freaks me out...I see my friends with their parents, much like high school graduation, only this time it's more serious: the real world awaits, we are truly leaving the nest and going out on our own to get jobs and other such nonsense. And in only 2 years I will be there - FOUR SEMESTERS!! It always always always makes me go crazy. This is only part of the reason why I did not attend graduation, and never do. And partially because I am either packing, sleeping, or otherwise engaged.

Speaking of packing, it has been absolutely brutal. Last night it was hot and muggy in my room, and I was sweating as I watched comedy central and packed up all of my belongings, which still needs to be finished. I packed up everything from my clothes to my dishes to my makeup and knick knacks from my desk, and organized it all in boxes and bags until my room became a disheveled mess of disorder.

Haha, parents are outside arguing. I love family affairs. So funny.

Back to packing. I am literally taking my life and putting it in boxes. For some reason, I have a moral issue with this. One of the things I've learned in the past 3 weeks is that you can never take things and put them in boxes, prim and neat like there was never any chaos to it. Shoes, yes, maybe. Disorder is meant to be disorder, not packed away neatly like it never enveloped the room in chaos.

I ran into a friend as she was leaving graduation (I was hoping to catch the last couple of names), and we are heading to Blue Wind for lunch. Campus is essentially shut down right now, so food is a scarcity. And I am not one to eat Ramen. Ever.

Running, Stephen Colbert and the Bruins

I am so happy right now. I just worked out, ran a couple of miles and lifted and it felt SO GOOD!!

I am eating a PB&J bagel and potato salad, while watching the Colbert Report from last night (I missed it because I was watching "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" with Nina and packing), and intermittently listening to the Bruins game.

I could so not be happier than right now :)

Paris, JE VAIS!!

Just basically booked an apartment in the 20ieme in Paris...SO EXCITED!!!

Ha...

Heat and Humidity

Another beautiful day at St. Mary's College. It is just about 80 degrees outside, muggy and sunny, although it looks like it might storm a little later. I love thunderstorms - I am anticipating this one with excitement!! We need a good storm, we haven't had one yet and I don't think it would be a good southern summer without it.

Campus is a little dead right now - Seniors are almost ready to leave, and my friends that ARE on campus are kind of m.i.a. I am not so much into raging right now, and they've been totally gone this week. Gala was last night and I can still see the signs of recovery - people looking spent in their PJ's in the Great Room, walks of shame at noon, etc. So amusing as an underclassman....so amusing.

Graduation is tomorrow and I am sad to see some people go. It's always hard to watch my teammates leave, since they have undoubtedly had a profound influence on me over the past 2 years. It will not be the same without Jesse and Kelly, to name a few, and to think that I won't even be here next semester to greet the new freshmen is really weird. Although, being in Paris is not such a bad trade-off. New plan: meet a rich French guy who has a castle in the South of France. Just kidding. But seriously...

Packing up my room has been a tedious and sad experience. I never ENJOY packing, but this year is particularly difficult. The end of this year has been such a whirlwind, I don't even know how to leave. I do not feel good about leaving like this, although I am ready to go to Paris and delve into the next chapter of my life. I think it is what I need right now, and come September I will be more ready than ever to get going and start an independent life in a new city. Maurielle and I will be looking at apartments soon, and hopefully booking it within the next few days - so excited!! If anyone has good advice about living in the City of Lights, please feel free to share!

In the meantime, I have a lot of wrapping up to do, and I hope that it all goes well. It is going to be a crazy couple of days, and I have a lot to get done. Time to get going with this cleaning/packing business...

Chicken Tikka...Whatever

Nina and I just got back from Bollywood Masala, the BEST Indian cuisine in the entire county. It is SO GOOD, I am so full I don't think I can even begin to pack up my room right now.

Also, we are doing wine...IF I can find a corkscrew. Are we college students without the right alcoholic accessories? I think not. So sad. Also, I bought Forgetting Sarah Marshall - SO GOOD!! I know what I'm doing tonight...

Short post, I have so much to do...more later.

Beach Day

Well, today was Beach Day, and the weather actually held up until about 5 pm, when it started downpouring and - I think - thundering. It was a beautiful, muggy, southern MD type day by the beach - everyone was sloshed and enjoying the warmth and water, and I could not be more ready than now to celebrate the end of the school year.

My only complaint: why does the Great Room close at 1?? I arrived at 1:05, and they refused to let me in!! Bagel Bites is not the healthiest of breakfasts, but it had to do. And then I had to don a bikini. Eugh.

Well, time to rock this Greens dance party....

Here Comes the Sun!!

Well, it was expected to be rainy and gross today, but the sun is shining and it is going to be absolutely beautiful!! At least until 4 o'clock, when it seems it may start thundering and the world will most likely end. I will not let this ruin Beach Day, the annual migration of every person on campus down to the docks.

But this year is different...because this year there is a WATER TRAMPOLINE!!

How cool is that!? I honestly cannot wait to get down to the waterfront and hang out with everyone, these last few days before everyone really does leave. It seems like there is a good amount of wind, maybe I'll go out sailing for a bit. Just turned the TV on, Law and Order SVU is on. This makes me particularly happy....I was going to go to Spinning and Pilates, but maybe I'll just stay here and watch TV...

I really should go exercise. Eugh.

Goodbye...

So all of my friends have gone, for the most part...Haley has left, Allie, Lily...

It's so depressing. Margaret is gone, so exactly one half of the room looks like it did when we moved in, bringing back awkward but somehow endearing memories. My side looks just as messy as it has for the whole year, only a little more lonely.

I received my acceptance email from Sciences Po today, which is pretty sweet - I'll be spending next semester in Paris, with Maurielle (who is AWESOMMMEEE), and learning how to speak the language of love, eating lots of croissants, and taking classes that are specific to my SMP topic. I am so excited, and yet so nervous - hopefully it will be everything I want it to be.

The college is so depressing right now - the Grind and Campus store are closed, and I'm sitting here in the dark, with music playing softly in the background and some hollywood gossip show, which is addicting in such a bad way. Turn it offfff!!

Well, I wish I didn't have to say good-bye to everyone, but it is truly an inevitable part of life. It's just weird to think that I won't see everyone next semester, at all. Crazy. I'll make it though.

Camp SMC...What I Do When I Should Be Writing Papers

This is my best friend, Mimi, ripping it up yesterday on the Smary's River.... we work really hard. Clearly.

Evenings on the patio...

So I am sitting on the campus center patio, enjoying a refreshing iced tea (lemon flavored, of course), and I am noticing people I have never seen before in my entire life.

This is a result of the end of the year book buy-back, where all of us broke college students sell back our textbooks for an anticlimactic amount of money (read: $5 earned for a $200 textbook...ouch), and use it to buy alcohol. So as I am sitting here, I suddenly see two guys walk out of the campus store, and realize that I've never seen them before - usually you know people, this is a small school and we all walk the same paths at the same times, headed to the same places. Everyone except those science kids, who hermit themselves away in Goodpaster and Schaefer and don't come out until it's time to sell those books back and start raging. What a phenomenon...I am astounded as I watch these hermits finally emerge from their lairs, books in hand and looking spent but ready to go all out. Hilarious.

And then there are those of us who have spent all year having barely opened our books, and instead used the time, wisely, to enjoy Camp SMC. Last night I wore a white and floral dress, and all Paul could say was "Marina is SO TAN!" This may or may not be a result of me spending my entire weekend (okay, and most of last week...) on the docks, reading The Bell Jar and listening to the tunes. At least I was reading serious literature. It was a lovely weekend, and I do not regret a minute of it. As John Lennon said, time you enjoy wasting is not time wasted.

Nick just rode by on his bike. His ass betrays him from miles away.

I'm not really sure what to do with my life right now. I am going to go over to the goon's house at 8 to watch the Red Sox/Yankees game and eat Domino's (we keep it pretty classy), but until then I really have nothing to do. Maybe laundry. I should wash my bathing suits before the rest of the week. My room is a mess though. I got back at about 2 this afternoon and my roommate was in the process of moving all of her shit out, though she's staying until tomorrow. This made for an awkward situation when I needed to shower and her dad and uncle were in the room. Not to mention it was 2 pm and I had just returned. I was so being judged. No longer do I have a fridge, or anywhere to put my TV, which will make my ritual of watching The Daily Show and Colbert Report pretty difficult. Although, I don't really need my desk anymore so I guess...

Sorry, rambling. I'll return to my people-watching and iced-tea-drinking :)

I Heart Haley

Right now Haley is doing my hair and makeup since I feel too lazy and tired to do it myself. This is mostly because I have spent all day at the docks, and upon returning to my room crashed into my bed. She just informed me that I am too tan for my makeup...summer is truly here!

I love Haley, partially because she does my hair and makeup, but also because when I am too sad to even dress myself she does it for me :)

She is also awesome, and if you ever see Haley you should hug her because she deserves it.

We are not really sure what is going on tonight, but regardless I am wearing my favorite dress as a little pick-me-up. I am pretty sure nothing is going on tonight, unless you count the library...

Hahaha she just put way too much bronzer on and I look like a crazy person...oh Haley, you make me laugh.

Pillow Talk

Well, this week is about to get a lot more interesting. If I could sort out my love/lust life, then maybe I could take a crack at curing cancer or, I don't know, solving world hunger or global warming or something. Seriously, it is a complex and mysterious as Fermat's Last Theorem, and I don't see its resolution anywhere in the near future. Just when I think I have everything figured out, that I am in a good place in a relationship or non-relationship, things get complicated - someone new enters the picture, or someone leaves, or a new piece of information is revealed that changes everything. It's like a freaking Greek play - everyone sleeps with everyone and nothing is ever kept under wraps.

Just saw a couple making out on the patio. Gross. Get a room.

It is lunch time and there are so many people around right now. I love watching people just come and go. I park myself on a bench or at a little table, and let people pass by, chat, and then leave me to my writing. I am procrastinating studying for a poli sci final, but I highly doubt I will ever get around to it. My grade on the final is being "discounted" (I think that's Bulgarian for, your grade will probably be something I make up off the top of my head), so there's really no need to stress over studying.

There go my two professors. They're Turkish and Bulgarian by birth, and have the most adorable children. I love them, they have the best sense of humor.

I would love to have something productive to do, but I honestly cannot think of anything to do. Maybe I will start chipping away at those papers that are due before I depart for Paris...

Ha.

Waiting...

Mimi and I are waiting to go to the Door.

It is a long wait when there are cold, delicious, alcoholic drinks at the end.

And shots.

Meanwhile, Midnight Breakfast carries on....

Clothes and Cookies

Mimi and I are heading to the Door...contemplating what to wear:

A lime green halter top

An unflattering but adorable J.Crew floral print top

A dress

nothing

Sometimes I wonder if I would get charged with public indecency for stepping out sans clothing, I think part of me wants to think that they would just gawk and awe and forget about the law.

On another note, it is final exam time here at SMC. This means...wait for it...MIDNIGHT BREAKFAST!!! Read: fried oreos and people doing karaoke drunkenly while others watch and laugh and talk in murmur about calculus and philosophy and Shakespeare. I have not missed one, but this may be the first time I forego the fried confections in favor of, well, tequila. I couldn't celebrate Cinco de Mayo last night so I'm making up for it now, it's only fair to all of my Hispanic friends. All 1 of them.