 |
| Sitting on the wall at a favorite outdoor study spot |
As I write this, we are finishing week four of the fall semester. The time is already flying by and before we know it will be fall-break and midterms season. I'm so happy and excited to be here this semester though, and sophomore year is going great so far.
Last year I was considering studying abroad fall of my sophomore year but as I sit here on campus this semester I'm so grateful that I decided to return to LC this semester. It's an amazing feeling coming back as a sophomore because you have a whole year of experience behind you and you get to arrive back on campus with the confidence of experience. It was really wonderful to come back and already have a community of friends to I loved being back on campus and being able to settle right into a routine.
I know when I was looking at colleges when I was in high school I was mostly focused on what being a first-year would be like because it was hard to consider all the details of college life beyond that. I'm definitely glad I decided on LC because I know I can be happy here for all four years and I can really grow as a person here over that time.
 |
| New Student Orientation leaders and new students during Playfair. |
Right around this time, many sophomores are contemplating study abroad options because the applications for next years programs are due at the beginning of October. Some people are trying to choose which program they want and others are trying to figure out what semester they want to go or what works best to meet major requirements. I personally have decided to go to Alicante, Spain and study at a university there in the fall, and then spring of my junior year I am going to go to Cuba on a faculty-led program with other LC students. I'm sad that I'll be away from campus for a full year, but I'm also really excited about getting to explore different countries in a way that I've never done before.
 |
| A cute little plant I got at Freddies, our local grocery store (His name is Sebastian) |
Sophomore year is also the time when everyone is getting more and more involved with clubs and organizations, and stepping into more leadership roles. I have friends who are getting more involved by being RAs this year, and others who are networking more with professors, others who are leading the clubs they participated in last year, and still, others who are also doing more off-campus with jobs are internships. I myself have invested myself in ASLC which is out student government, and SAAB which is our student research grants board, and I'm also getting more involved with sustainability efforts on campus. This is also just a time when everyone is getting closer with friends from last year and making new relationships.
 |
| A bad selfie taken in the first weeks of school after a fun party |
You can debate where this is a good idea or not but my friends and I all recently got together and a bunch of us gave each other stick and poke tattoos. Now, before you worry too much it was all very sanitary and no one has gotten any infections and all the tattoos turned out really well. We had been talking about doing this since last fall, and we finally decided to go through with it this year. I know I'll never regret the little tattoo because it will always represent that really fun and bonding memory of being with my college friends. It was just a really nice night and a really special moment.
Anything I'm nervous about?
I'm taking a political science research methods course where we have to learn how to use a data analysis computer program and I'm a little nervous about learning that because computers and math are not my strong suit. I really like the professor of the class though and I think she's a good teacher so even if I struggle a little I think I can get through it all with help.
 |
| One of my favorite little patches of wall to pass by and enjoy the moss and the plants |
What am I looking forward to?
I'm looking forward to a lot of things, but one thing coming up soon is that I'm having a dinner party with some friends and one of the Spanish professors that we're all really close with. She's an awesome woman and super cool to hang out with and she really enjoyes getting to know students. We all decided to make her a dinner since she's done a lot for us. So we're getting together and making a greek feast in one of the residence halls and I know it will be a great time.
Please contact me if you have any questions about LC or what to hear more about the student experience here, email me at quentingaul@lclark.edu