Thanksgiving is here again...

I am trying so hard to restrain myself and not freak out about waiting on campus for residents to leave and fighting against this potential snow mess that could happen. I would hate to have to take a train home to New York in messy weather, but I am just doing the best I can to distract myself. I have started work on my novel again and I just cranked out one of my final papers. Luckily, I took a rough draft to the Writing Center, so finishing it up was a cinch. I do not have much to say tonight, but I did want to re-introduce myself to you because I have been missing in action around here. November was just about the craziest month ever for me. I cannot wait to go home and see my family!

This past weekend, I finished a book! I was so jazzed because I have not had time for pleasure reading in four weeks. I completed Stewart O' Nan's Last Night at the Lobster in one afternoon. It is a pretty short book, but it took the longest time for me to just sit down and finish it. The novel itself was pretty interesting to read because the author did so much research about the terms used in a restaurant and really made me feel like I was spending a snowy day inside a Red Lobster. It was exciting for me to read this because I have lived in New Haven now for four years and he would mention road signs or different cities in Connecticut that I could not help but crack the widest smile as if to say "Oh my gosh! I know where that is!"

Well, I have a hot cup of tea and one more assignment calling my name before I crash land under my comforter. I will definitely be back very soon with more exciting updates!

Feeling Good

The best feeling is when a student I tutored in the writing center receives a kick ass grade on a paper: a 99! Wow! Although, it's bothering me what the one point reduction was for. I really appreciate academic success and his paper was really awesome. I have been a Writing Associate for so long that sometimes I feel like my eyes just don't catch all the things we are supposed to. All it takes is one success to know that after 3 1/2 years, I can still do my job effectively.

So, this month is a big one for writer's across the globe. It's National November Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). This is the first year that I am participating in such an event. The goal is start and finish a 50,000 word novel or more in the month of November. 

50,000 words in 30 days; quite the endeavor. 

Luckily, I am working on this challenge with my best friend Carlo. He and I are cheerleaders for one another. We read whatever the other has written and offer comments and feedback. As aspiring writers, we depend on the constructive criticism offered by those closest to us. 

So far I have a little over 2,000 words. I have a long way to go.

November is Here

According to the calculations of my countdown app, I have 195 days until graduation. Does anyone understand how amazing that feels? I have one semester left as an RA, as a WA, as a member of SAA, as the co-editor of Breakwater and as a student. I registered for my last 15 credits, I am working on the first chapter of my first novel and I am having fun going to the gym three days a week. 

I have a plan. 

It's pretty well thought out, if you ask me.

I created a workout schedule for the semester based on my class times, work study, duty nights and desk hours. I workout for at least 30 minutes three times a week. I am off to a pretty excellent start. Last week, I went to the gym on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Meaghan and I went today, but I did not do thirty minutes. It's okay though because I am going tomorrow and Tuesday. Maybe I will have enough energy by Thursday afternoon to workout after class.