Hello, friends.

So yes, I made a goal to blog more, and no, I did not do that. But as my spring semester is coming to a close I want to update you on my life and what’s been keeping me busy.

academic

This semester I took 18 credit hours and it has been a struggle. I’ve had a ton of work, and my classes have been really challenging but still mostly rewarding. If you’re wondering what constitutes 18 credits, I’ll break it down for you.

• Late Brit Lit-3 credits

In this class we study British Literature from the Romantics to the Victorians to contemporary. It’s not my favorite class but it’s not painfully difficult and I enjoy a lot of the material. Plus the professor is great.

• Late American Lit-3 credits

Here we study American literature from the Realists to the present. Hands down my favorite class this semester. The material is engaging and the professor is fantastic.

• Film Lit-3 credits

This is the first time I’ve studied film, and in this class, we analyze film as if it were literature. It’s difficult not knowing anything about film going in and some of the films we watch are kind of weird (looking at you Knife in the Water), but I’m slowly getting better at understanding film.

• Advanced Fiction-3 credits

Oddly one of my most challenging classes. The goal is basically to write 2 longer short stories. There’s a ton of writing, and not just with the stories. We write in class almost every day, working on prompts or skills. We write the two 15 page stories, and then revise them. We read everyone’s stories and write 2 page responses to each. It’s exhausting. Also I don’t love short stories. But we’re pushing through.

• French (w/ lab)-4 credits

I took 3 years of French in high school, so this class isn’t too bad, almost like a review. The only problems are the projects and the 3 hours of homework we do each weekend. Overall a decent, manageable class.

• Honors-1 credit

For my Honors Program, we studied a Great Work of literature within our major last semester. This semester we gave a presentation on the work. Mine was The Handmaid’s Tale, and I discussed how power can be found within restriction. I presented first so I got it over with and this class has been a breeze since.

• Honors internship-1 credit

Another part of the Honors Program requires us to have a High-Impact Experience, such as an internship, study abroad, independent study, etc. After landing an internship through the English department, I decided to have it apply for Honors. I currently work as a copy-writing editor at the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum. It’s one of my favorite ways to spend my time. I’ve gotten to experience so much and learn a great deal about editing and publishing.

activities

In addition to class, I’ve also been part of several major clubs and activities this semester. For one, I work at my school’s Writing Center, meaning I tutor students in how to work on and improve their papers. I work there 7 hours a week, pretty much in between classes.

I also attend several clubs, but this semester I took on a new responsibility: leadership. I have become the Communications Director of my school’s College Democrats, meaning I make flyers and graphics and post on social media. Recently, the club has hosted a number of events, including a Pancake and Politics game night, several film screenings, and most notably, a showcase for International Women’s Day. I’ve had a blast with this club and I hope to continue to be part of it in my future years at Flagler.

In addition to my leadership role, I also attend 2 other clubs, ASTEP (Artists Striving to End Poverty) and Club Unity (the school’s LGBTQ+ club). Through those, I’ve been able to work on several projects, including my friend’s photo testimony series for the homeless community in St. Augustine with ASTEP and the How to be a Good Ally Panel with Unity. I love being part of these clubs and expressing different parts of my identity with such wonderful people.

I’ve also been doing a lot with my Honors Program, including renovating our new building and going on a few field trips, such as to the Alligator Farm and the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens.

creative

Unsurprisingly, I have had 0 time to create on my own. The most I’ve been able to do is work on short stories with my fiction class, which is lowkey why I take creative writing classes–they force me to work. Other than that, I’m hoping to have a photoshoot for my the short story I worked on over the summer, Frostfire, before the semester ends so I can hopefully publish it on Kindle. Will update when that actually happens.

I have a lot of plans for the summer, primarily to finish the first draft of the YA novel, Louna, I started last semester. I would also like to work on my short stories Frostfire and Siren, and see at least one of them published.

inspiration

I haven’t been able to read or watch much TV, but I have enjoyed reading Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. It’s a great work for understanding the process and value of creativity. Additionally, I’ve watched some movies in-house with my friends. I even went to the theater to see Black Panther and Love, Simon, both of which I found thoughtful and empowering.

personal

One of the best things I’ve gotten to do recently is see one of my favorite bands, Vinyl Theatre, perform in Jacksonville. My best friend/roommate bought us tickets to see them for my birthday and we had a blast. Go listen to Vinyl Theatre if you haven’t!

This past week was my spring break, so that was exciting. I went to the beach with my friends for a few days and enjoyed relaxation. Then I went home with my family and tried to balance visiting friends and family while also catching up on my workload.

Obviously all of this stress can be hard to manage. I’ve been trying to balance my mental health on top of everything. I’ve had a lot of trouble getting enough sleep because of the amount of work I do. This is something else I hope to rectify in the summer.

Additionally, my dog was put down due to health issues shortly after I returned to school and it’s been hard to understand her loss while not being at home. Being on spring break this week and coming home to her absence was tough.

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I know this is the longest post in history and props to you if you made it to the end. This is basically just a lengthy excuse for not blogging. Smash like if you want more excuses, maybe monthly? Feel free to follow me if you want to see me descend into madness in upcoming semesters.

Thanks for reading!