annathesmithie18-blog

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Last First Week of Classes - Check!

Hey folks! It’s been a while- Happy February!!! I’m officially a second semester senior, which is pretty wild- time goes by so quickly! I’m pumped to be back on campus because it’s my last chance (at least for a couple of years) to sit in a classroom filled with intelligent, compassionate and hilarious fellow students and to learn from fantastic professors. With all this in mind, finalizing the schedule for my last semester has been a challenge, because there are so many classes I want to take, but not enough time! I’ve finally settled on the following: 

- Conceptualizing Democracy 

- Culture and Diplomacy of Asia 

- World Population 

- Emergency Medical Care 

- Comparative Middle East Politics 

- Case Study of Education in Western Massachusetts

I’m so excited for all of these classes, but a bit sad since the end is drawing near. However, it isn’t all sad! One of the amazing things about being back for my last semester is time with my friends, some of whom I will likely see all the time if we live in the same city, and some of which will be living thousands of miles away. This means that I’m trying to spend even more time with these amazing individuals. Here is a photo of two of my friends, Tavu and Sophie, during a much-needed study break last night. 

In addition to wanting to make the most of my classes and time with friends, I’m also trying to go on as many walks around Northampton as I possibly can. This is a favorite way to de-stress and clear my head. Here’s a photo I took a couple days ago in Pulaski Park, one of my favorite local spots to hang out in, have a coffee, and enjoy watching the world go by: 

Finally, I have to say a couple of things that I’m SO excited about. First of all, RALLY DAY is coming up at the end of February! This is the first time that seniors wear their caps and gowns (EEK!), as well as funny hats. Everyone goes to John M. Greene Hall, a beautiful, old, cavernous building on campus, where awards are given out and the commencement speaker is announced! It’s a joyful and exciting celebration, and I couldn’t be more excited. Pictures of rally day to come! 

Thanks so much for reading my blog post, feel free to reach out with questions at time! Happy February!

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Hey all! I’m late posting this, but last weekend was ~WINTER WEEKEND~! It’s a really fun Smith tradition where every house throws its own festive, holiday-themed celebration. Houses often invite one of Smith’s very own A-Capella groups to the house (my house, Emerson, was lucky enough to host both the Smiffenpoofs and the Smithereens!), dress up nicely, take photos, sing karaoke, eat cookies, you name it. It is a fun and relaxing way to bond with your house, relax before finals, and celebrate both the holidays and the close of the semester before everyone leaves for winter break. Here is a picture of my first year roommate and I at Winter Weekend! We’ve both lived in Emerson House since our first year and it’s fun to think back on our various winter weekends over the years. In other news, it snowed for the first time this weekend! There is nothing like the first snow at Smith. Even if you’re like me and don’t love the cold, you have to admit, it’s pretty beautiful. That’s all for today folks-- I wish you a restful and happy holiday season! 

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Swim Conditioning!

Happy December! This semester, I decided to take my first exercise class for credit in my Smith career. I’m currently taking a 1 credit swim conditioning class, which meets twice a week in the morning. A small group of students swim for 50 minutes, doing different drills, practicing new strokes, etc. While I love my classes at Smith and wouldn’t trade them for the world, sometimes, when most of your projects consist of papers and readings, it can be hard to track how you’re improving because there’s no real way of quantifying it. But with swimming, we keep track of our time and try to alter our technique so as to swim faster and more efficiently. I’ve been surprised by how rewarding this is! And, it isn’t all about time and making improvements-- it’s also so fun and a great way to start my day. Everyone in class, including our instructor, loves to joke around, and I always leave class in a good mood and ready to take on the day. When you come to Smith, I highly recommend signing up for some exercise classes! It’s a great way to stay in shape, make new friends, and improve your mood. Here is a picture of my swimming class and I! 

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Studying and interning abroad

Hello! As the weather gets colder and deadlines draw closer, I find myself reminiscing about my time living, studying, and working abroad this past semester. I thought that instead of just thinking about my semester abroad, I’d put my energy to good use and write about it! I spent the Spring 2017 semester in Edinburgh, where I did the University of Edinburgh Parliamentary Programme. I was in a cohort of 19 American students, and we all spent the first five weeks of the semester studying British and Scottish Politics, before being placed with a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) and interning and doing research for this MSP for the remainder of the semester. I absolutely loved Edinburgh and the people I met there, but have to say that the parliamentary internship allowed me to appreciate being in another country in a way I wouldn’t have otherwise. Not only did I become well-versed in Scottish and UK Politics, but I also learned about Scottish culture and traditions in a way that I wouldn’t have if I hadn’t chosen to do an internship program. Additionally, through working closely with a MSP, I learned about life in politics directly from a well-respected and successful female politician, an experience I will always treasure. Below are a few of my favorite pictures from my Parliamentary internship. Feel free to reach out with any questions! 

Above: A photo taken of me in the Scottish Parliament 

A view from the inside of Parliament. I found the architecture incredibly beautiful and interesting 

My friend and I, both interns for MSPs in the Scottish Labour Party, had the exciting opportunity to meet and chat with former Prime Minister Gordon Brown at the Adam Smith Festival of Ideas in the nearby Fife. 

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Learning in Our Community: A Northampton-Smith Learning Partnership

Above (from left): Tom Countryman, Dennis Yasutomo, Michael Klare, and panel moderator, Northampton Democratic City Committee

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3 things I do to relax at Smith