You're Never Too Old For Field Trips!

Hi everyone!
I hope you have had a fantastic week/weekend since I last blogged! This past week was pretty crazy busy - if I may say so myself! Classes are really in full swing now that we are heading into our third week - I have my second Environmental Problem Solving quiz tomorrow and my first project due this Thursday! Last week I went on 2 (that's right TWO) field trips - all in one day! Crazy right? Usually in High School you go on a field trip and it takes all day, it's awesome no classes, no homework, maybe a short paragraph about what you did. Don't worry friends in college (at least in some of your classes) field trips do exist. Last Thursday (the 8th), my Environmental Problem Solving class went on a field trip during our lab time to the Tom Ridge Environmental Center (TREC), down on Presque Isle State Park. The TREC is a pretty cool place.

Tom Ridge Environmental Center at Presque Isle

When we got there we heard had a short lecture about what goes on at TREC. We learned about water pollution, fish, plants, animals, and  a ton of other environmental issues and how TREC is helping to curb problems and inform the public. Then we went on a scavenger hunt throughout TREC. We had a list of questions that we had to answer and could only answer by going through the center and learning more about what we had just heard. We even climbed the observation tower which we thought would be a good idea to run up. Poor choice - way more stairs than expected. But the view from the top was great, you could see really far out onto Erie Lake and back into the city of Erie. It was a pretty fun field trip and it was nice to get off campus and experience more of the city!
My second field trip of the day was to the Erie Art Museum with my Aesthetic Education class later that afternoon. I had never been to the Erie Art Museum, although I had driven past it countless times! I'm glad I got to go, they had some really nice exhibits and it was fun to get to do the self tour with my classmates. Not only were we learning, but we had some fun too! Now, I have to say the museum was way bigger than I thought. I was really impressed with it, and I'm happy to check that off my bucket list of things to do in Erie.

Erie Art Museum

This week should be pretty fun/crazy. I have a ton of meetings and as I mentioned before - my first project due Thursday! So I'm off to do my reading so I can finish the project!
Later Gators.

Winter Classes - Winter Term... Here we go!

Hey Everyone! Sorry it's been so long since I blogged! But we are just getting into our second week of classes here at Mercyhurst College for our Winter Term! If you didn't know already Mercyhurst is on a trimester system. This means we have 3 terms of classes each year. Each term is ten weeks long and you take 3-4 classes each term. This is nice because you only focus on a few things at a time instead of spreading yourself thin with a ton of classes. This term I'm taking 10 credits - which is equal to 3 classes and one lab class. I am taking Applied Linguistics, Aesthetic Education, and Environmental Problem Solving - which has a lab course. So far I really like my classes! My Linguistics class is super intriguing and I love languages so this just fits perfectly! My Aesthetic Education class is all about teaching and involving the arts in regular education classroom. It is a really hands on class and from looking at the syllabus we will have quite a few guest speakers and artists come in and work with us! The Environmental Problem Solving class is pretty interesting so far. We are going to look at a wide range of issues concerning our planet - everything from overpopulation to pollution to natural resources. It is definitely a class that will make you think twice before doing something environmentally questionable like not recycling or littering.

Last night the Ambassador Club had their annual "Chrisgiving" dinner. It's a cross between Christmas and Thanksgiving and it's a chance for the whole club and the new pledges to get together to hang out and eat lots of good holiday food! Everyone dresses up in their ugliest sweaters and Christmas outfits for a fantastic time! We have a contest to see who can wear the ugliest sweater/best dressed which is always a good time!

Senior Ambassadors with plenty of Chrisgiving Cheer!

Later Gators!

Hockey Night Part Two!

 Just a quick update - I just got back from the Men's D1 Hockey Game vs. Air Force and WE WON!!!! It was a great game, we won by a margin of just one goal, 3-2. The student section will tell you that there may have been some questionable calls....but hey, what kind of student section would we be if we didn't? ;-) We were very loud and definitely proud to be Mercyhurst Lakers!
Anyways, it was Mustache night tonight - so since I can't grow a mustache, I made one :) I even added a little blue behind it! Not only is blue one of my favorite colors but it's also one of our school colors - Blue, Green & White.
Hope you are enjoying your weekend!

It's a Mercyhurst Mustache!!

Again, my mustache for the Hockey game!

Hockey Night at Mercyhurst College!!

Hey Everyone!

Hope you've been having a great week! I just wanted to let you know what I've been up to lately! This week was our last week of classes. So I turned in my portfolio, and my curriculum this week. Now this weekend I'll be finishing up my Geology paper, and studying for my Geology final and Promoting Literacy final. Both my finals are on Monday - but I'm not too worried, I've been studying this week and I feel prepared for both!
Tomorrow is Open House here on campus! Because I'm an Ambassador I will be working Open House tomorrow giving tours to prospective students and their families! Open House is always a lot of fun, there are tours, talks given by admissions, you can meet faculty and staff from all the different majors and departments on campus and there are even some of our student clubs represented too! Maybe if you are coming I will get to meet you! If you see me feel free to come up and say hi! I'll be in my spiffy green Ambassador jacket.
Now, on to what is really exciting - HOCKEY!! Last weekend our Men's D1 team had two huge Hockey games against UConn here on campus! It was so much fun! A bunch of students got together on capus and decided to theme the Saturday night game "Classy" night - so we all dressed up super nice and went to cheer our boys on to Victory for a sweep! :) This weekend we had two games, again and tomorrow's game is themed Mustache night. My roommates and I are just going to make paper mustaches and wear them, haha! But it should be a good time! I'm off to finish working on my paper now... but tomorrow night is a Hockey Night at Mercyhurst!! GO LAKERS!

Classy Night at the Hockey Game! (That's me in the front row, 2nd from the left!)

Halloween and Movember!

Hey Everyone :)

In case you were starting to think I hadn't partaken in spooky activities this weekend, I just wanted to drop you a note and let you know that I had my best Halloween ever! I had two pretty awesome costumes - if I may say so myself! Friday night my friend had a costume party so I dressed up as Raggedy Ann. I bought the dress and shirt from Salvation Army, and then added the heart and pockets, and yarn belt! I also had my roommate braid yarn into my hair. I wasn't into wearing a wig and I read the blog ABeautifulMess - which has great DYI tips and that's actually where I got my costume idea from! Then on Monday night I dressed up as a "Party Animal" - again a borrowed idea from a friend who did it last year, but I made it my own! I found a tutorial on Youtube for leopard makeup, wore a fun party dress and teased my hair (which didn't last very long). Most people thought I was Ke$ha.... but hey she's a party animal so I guess I was on the right track!

Now it's November! (Crazy already!) And as you may or may not have heard it's "Movember" or "No Shave November". Just as October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month - November is Prostate Awareness Month for men! A lot of guys will grow mustaches or not shave for the whole month in order to raise money for the cause! Pretty neat :) Here is the official Movember website! So I won't be growing a beard or mustache this month - but I'll definitely be supporting those who do! :)
Have a great week (and Happy Movember!)

Party Animal with a Gryffindor!

Raggedy Ann!

Looking at Graduate Schools for Education

Hey everyone! I hope you guys are having a great Halloween Weekend!
I just wanted to give you a quick update on what's going on here with me :) I just finished up a crazy week here. I spent my whole week working on my presentation, lesson plans and paper for my Cultural and Linguistically Diverse Learners class. Last time I wrote I told you guys about my long nights in the library and it definitely paid off! I was really happy with my lesson plans and I think presentation turned out really well! For my third lesson plan I found this great experiment to use and I thought you might like to see it here!
So what I really came to write about is that I am starting to look at graduate schools for education. So right now I am looking at graduate schools that offer programs in English as a Second Language (ESL). I had thought about this kind of program before, but my Cultural and Linguistically Diverse Learners class and experiences at the International Institute of Erie have really confirmed that this is definitely something I want to do! I've enjoyed going down to the Institute so much that I'm going to continue going even though my required classes are over. I have been looking at schools like University of Pennsylvania, Duquesne University, Findlay University in Ohio, and Pitt, just to name a few :)

Dream Grad School for ESL!

U Penn would be my dream school because it's a great school, and it's out near Philadelphia. On the other hand Duquesne and Pitt are both great universities right in Pittsburgh, so I could live at home and save money. Lots of options to consider, but for now I'm looking at the programs, how they are structured and what kind of classes they offer. I've got a lot more research to do, and I'll definitely keep you updated of what I'm doing :)
Happy Halloween!

Dear Library...

Dear Library,
I'm sorry I have not been in to see you much lately. I hope you can forgive me for doing homework in my apartment. You see, I hadn't had too much work to do earlier this term, but now all my projects are due in these next 3 weeks, so I'm back once more to use you. You see, you are so much quieter than my apartment, and far less distracting. I can't clean you if I don't want to do my homework. I remember the good old days when I would sit here for hours, writing papers, studying and checking Facebook a little too often. I'm here for the long haul - I've got quite a few things to accomplish.

For my Promoting Literacy PreK-8 class, I am writing my Philosophy Essay. This is a 2-3 page, single spaced essay explaining my philosophy of teaching and how as an educator in an inclusive classroom I will ensure that my students are literate. I will have to apply all the different teaching strategies we have learned over the term. I will also discuss how, no matter what subject I am teaching, I will work in many different kinds of instruction that will promote reading, writing, comprehension and vocabulary. Yeah that's a lot of thinking.... and it's due Monday the 24th!

Some of the Curriculum kits we have in our Education Library!

For my Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners class I have several things to do. First I have to write an essay on my experience at the International Institute and how I used and observed some of the techniques I learned in class there. Second, I have my Curriculum project due next Friday the 28th. This entails creating 3 lesson plans for my subject area and grade level, that provide accommodations for students who are English Language Learners (ELLs). I will also have to accompany this with a 3-6 page paper talking about ELLs, state standards and good, tested practices for classrooms with ELLs. Again, this is a cumulative project that will require me really to look at what I have learned this term and apply it. Not to mention that I have to present all this to my classmates on the 28th when I turn it in!

Our Children's Literature section in the Education Library. 

Finally for my Historical Geology class I am writing my final term paper - about 6 pages - on a topic of my choice. Our professor is really pretty cool (in the quirky, nerdy, I love geology and make bad rock jokes in class kind of way). We were allowed to choose our own topics - as long as they had to do with geology. So some people chose super volcanos, and underwater vents, I chose to write mine on the formation of the Giant's Causeway. When I studied abroad (See my study abroad blog here or the tab up top!) I visited the Giant's Causeway and thought it was pretty awesome!

So that's what I've got to do. Now Library - I hope you'll forgive me for my absence, because I have to get back to work now!
Love,
Monica

Fall Break

So I'm finally home! After a very busy week taking midterms and finishing up papers, it's time for some well deserved relaxation at home with my family! During our term here at Mercyhurst we get a Fall Break - which is a four day weekend right after mid-terms. I'm spending mine at home, some students go home with roommates or friends if they live too far away, while others just relax on campus and enjoy the peace and quiet. Here in Pittsburgh the weather promises to be on again off again rain and sun. I can deal with that :)
Earlier this year I made to you readers (and myself) A New School Year's Resolution to do more volunteering. So I wanted to update you and let you know I have been keeping my word! Now this was made partially easier because for my Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners class I am required to do 10 hours of Service Learning. Service Learning is when a class requires you to do some type of volunteer work that relates to the course. It helps you to really live out what you are learning. Since we are learning about teaching students who don't speak English I am doing my 10 hours at the International Institute in Erie (check out their site here!). So far I love it! I am working in an adult ESL (English as a Second Language) classroom where I am helping the teacher with English classes for refuges from all over the world. I even get to teach part of the classes sometimes! At first I was kind of nervous, but everyone there is so nice and patient, I'm not nervous at all anymore. I really love working here and I plan on staying on with them even after I finish my ten hours.  So is just a quick update of my little promise to volunteer more. And I encourage you to try and do the same! It's a great experience and really rewarding.
Talk with you soon :)

Busy as a Bee!

This week has yet again been busy! No one told me Senior year would be so... busy! Meetings class, hanging out with friends, planning things for Soccer Club. Plus the weather has been beautiful the past few days which makes going to class harder - because I want to be outside!
This weekend is looking to be a good one, some of my friends from home are coming to visit for a few days so I'm really excited to see them. However, I have two midterms on Monday and a paper due Wednesday. Therefore, I have to get most of my work and studying done before they get here so I can enjoy the weekend! Also exciting about this weekend is the Equinox Soccer Tournament! It is the first big event that the Soccer Club has planned and we are really looking for a great turn out! We are giving half of the proceeds to charity so it will be a good time for a good cause!
I'll post some pictures of the tournament probably sometime Monday night after I finish my midterms - I'll need a break to relax.
Coming up in two weeks is our first Fall Open House! If you are a prospective Mercyhurst Laker you should definitely come out! We will be giving tours, you can meet faculty from many different majors and current students as all well as talk to different clubs and organizations on campus. A great showing of what Mercyhurst has to offer! Hopefully you can make it out!
I'm off to study for my midterms and grab some lunch. I hope you have a great weekend!
After while crocodiles

Homecoming!

Hey everyone!
I hope that you guys had a fantastic weekend! Hopefully yours was a little less rainy than mine here in Erie. But all precipitation aside - it was an awesome weekend packed full of friends, fun, farm animals, inflatables, mechanical bulls and football!
This past weekend was Homecoming Weekend - which also includes Alumni and Parents Weekend - needless to say campus was bumpin'! Everyone was in to visit and it was great to see my family and a lot of old friends who graduated in previous years! On Friday night I visited with some friends who I met in Ireland as they were in visiting Mercyhurst and Erie for a few days. They included the current mayor of Dungarvan, the previous mayor, and some of the town council. It was great to see them and catch up. We went to the Women's hockey game on Friday night and watched them womp on #9 Quinnipac in a 4-0 win!
Saturday was fun filled for everyone! My boyfriend's parents came up to visit and took us out to lunch at Panera! Then we went to the Football game - where our Lakers took on the Gannon Knights (our cross town rival!). Unfortunately the Lakers ended up losing after leading the game the first 3 quarters. But on a brighter side during half-time they announced this years homecoming court and two of my friends Shane and Lindsay won King and Queen! Congrats!
I worked part of the afternoon in the rec center for "Hurst Fest" which was a ton of fun! We had food, hot drinks, a mechanical bull, inflatable obstacle courses, pumpkins just to mention a few. After I finished working I took a short spin on the Mechanical bull - about a 20 second spin! And then went outside to the petting zoo to see all the cute animals! I got to feed the Scottish Highland cow which was supper slobbery but so cute!
On Sunday my Dad came to visit and we went to see the Mens Soccer team take on Cal U - a big game for the boys because it was in the PSAC (our conference). I got to see my brother play for a bit which was great! It poured the entire game and we were soaked and cold! Unfortunately the Lakers couldn't pull out the win and lost 2-1 to Cal-U. :(

That is my weekend recap for you and I will be back later this week with more updates!
Ciao!

King Shane and Queen Lindsay!

Gotta love those Lakers!

Hey everyone! I hope you have been having a great September so far! I certainly have :) These past two weeks have been crazy! Over the past two weeks we've started the pledge process for Ambassadors, had the Red Carpet Fall Ball, my roommate turned 21 (YAY) and Soccer Club held their first ever fundraiser - a t-shirt and hoodie sale! Classes are in full swing now as we are already approaching mid terms in the next two weeks. (Aahh!)
Our Men's Soccer team has gotten the season off to a great start with a record of 6-1-0 overall. On Thursday afternoon we took out section rivals Slippery Rock and it was a great game! We won 2-1 with the Lakers goals scored in the last minute of the first half and the winning goal in the last 30 seconds of the second half. Talk about a nail bitter! You can read an article (and watch videos of the goals) here, on our athletics website! Fans from both teams were going crazy as the Lakers took on the Rock - even the fans have a rivalry! Louie the Laker, our mascot got in on the action by pumping up the crowd and maybe a little taunting ;). The game was especially exciting for me because my younger brother Patrick goes here to Mercyhurst now, and is on the Soccer team! I always went to the Mens Soccer games before, but now I definitely go because I want to see if my brother plays! During the Slippery Rock game he got in and actually scored the first goal! It's really exciting to get to watch him play, and I'm proud of all the hard work he and the rest of the Mens team has put into their season so far!
Speaking of soccer - tonight is SAC's (Student Activity Council) 3v3 Soccer Tourney! I'm playing with my two friends Andrew and Aaron - and hopefully we win! MSG (Mercyhurst Student Government) and SAC hold free events for students ever Friday and Saturday night. Last night was the College Cook-Off held by MSG. I didn't make it to MSG's event last night because I went to the Mercyhurst Club hockey game! Unfortunately we didn't win against Robert Morris, but I got to see my friends play, hang out with my other friends and cheer on my Lakers!

So sorry for the long blog - but I wanted to catch you all up on what's going on here at the 'Hurst since I last blogged! Have a great weekend!

Senior Year - Ready, Set - Go!

So we're back at it again - new school year, new classes, new apartment, new people... you get it - lots of new! But don't worry - there are still plenty of old friends, some of the same professors, and as always good ole Mercyhurst! I'm back for my Senior year here at Mercyhurst and pretty darn excited about it! It's been a great year so far too! I mean we have only been in classes for a week and a half now, but I've been super busy already! This year I am taking 3 classes and 1 Lab. My classes are Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Learners, Supporting Literacy Pre-K-8, and Historical Geology which has a Lab. I like my schedule so far - I have 3 classes Monday/Wednesday, my Lab on Thursday morning, and one class on Fridays. Not too shabby eh? Plus I have a 15 hour practicum to do for my Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Learners, my Ambassador hours, working as the Soccer Club Secretary, and I am going to try to get a tutoring job at one of the local Middle/High Schools. Have I over booked myself? I don't think so!
This summer I decided that I was tired of "New Years Resolutions". No one ever keeps them past February, so why bother? I decided that instead of "New Years Resolutions", I would make a "New School Year Resolution". As a student that is when the year really starts for me. Which is why I think making the Resolution in January is so hard. I am already about half way through the school year, and pretty set in my ways. Now I'm not saying I won't make a "New Years Resolution" after singing Auld Lang Syne, but I am saying that I'm making my first "New School Year Resolution". Right Now.
This year I want to volunteer more, and be better at being on time.
So there you go readers - that is my first ever "New School Years Resolution"! You are welcome to join me in making one for yourself if you want! You can comment below and let us know what you decided or keep it to yourself if you want! I'm making mine here - because you all can hold me accountable for it!
So I hope you are having a great start of the year :) Because I am! I will blog again soon about more things going on here at the 'Hurst!
TGIF! Have a  great day!
PS Here are a few pictures of my Apartment! :)

Our Kitchen - with our Tree!

Living room... and lots of shoes!

Other side of the living room

Kitchen! I bought a portable Dishwasher on Craigslist over the summer and brought it with me :) (The apartments don't come with dishwashers.)

Back to School!

Hi Everyone! It's that time of year again - back to school! Some of you may have already started your exciting Junior or Senior year in High School or are still soaking up your last days of freedom before classes begin! I'm up at Mercyhurst already, although classes don't start till next Wednesday, I moved in early for Ambassadors! I've spent the past two days unpacking and setting up my apartment on campus, and I'm almost done! I really like my apartment this year I think it's super cute! I really can't wait for the rest of my friends to get here and Senior year to start!
Yesterday we had our Ambassador Retreat at Presque Isle. It was a really nice day for it and I think everyone had a good time. We played an ice breaker called "Knots" - even though my team lost, I think we had the most fun. At the retreat we also had dinner and went over some new things for this year as well as a usual overview of club code and things like that. After we finished our business we were able to stay there at the beach if we wanted. Some people stayed and hung out to watch the sunset and others headed back to campus to finish unpacking and visit with friends.
That's about all I have for now, I have to go finish setting up my TV and do a little more cleaning!
Later gators :]

Summer so far...

Howdy! I hope everyone has had a great Summer so far! I have been up to two Orientations working as an Ambassador (an awesome club everyone should go out for!). The last two have been huge! There were about 240 students plus their families for the July 15th Orientation! Hopefully if you went up, you had a great time meeting your future classmates and spending some quality time with the Laker Leaders :)

I have been crazy busy this summer working two jobs and taking two online classes! (Yikes!) But I still have made time to hang out with my friends and family! Since I have been so busy this summer, it has just flown by! I can't believe its the end of July already and in just a month we will be moving in up at school!

So, if your still looking for somewhere to go for college well Mercyhurst "is the place"! Check out our summer tours and apply online! Summer is a great time to visit campus because the weather is nice, and Erie has so much going on in the Summer. 8 Great Tuesdays, Block Parties, Roar on the Shore not to mention going to the beach on Presque Isle! So make your way up to Erie and check out the school! While you are there you can see the new building go up!

Bye, Bye Junior Year!

Well, it's official. I'm done with Junior year! I turned in my last papers, finished my last final and am now packing up my apartment. It's exciting and sad all at the same time. I want to go home and relax, but I want to hang out with my friends here at school. I'm sure many of you Juniors and Seniors are getting antsy to finish up right now, I remember being so ready for Summer by this time in May.
I will be working all Summer at a local restaurant in Pittsburgh where I have worked the past two summers, so I get to see some familiar faces again soon. I am also taking two online courses over the Summer at the local community college. I figure if I take them over the Summer I won't have to worry about them my Senior year :)
If you are a Junior, Summer is a great time to look at schools - most offer Summer preview days or have special tour times. Even though there really won't be too many classes going on over the Summer, it will give you a chance to check out some schools before you get back to school in the Fall. Because you know you will be busy hanging out, going to games, musicals, concerts and having an awesome Senior year. Doing some of your college visits over the Summer is a great way to get you organized and ready to start doing applications in the Fall. I mean heck if you are really ambitious you could start applying at the end of Summer!
**-Sidenote- I did all my applications in August, then when I got back to school in September all I had to do was ask for letters of recommendation and my transcripts. I played soccer in high school, so I was super busy all Fall - doing the applications ahead of time really helped out a lot!**
If you are a Senior well, you are probably working or going on family vacations and living it up with your friends! Enjoy your Summer, and if you are coming to Mercyhurst, I might just see you at Orientation!
I won't be blogging over the Summer really. I will probably check in once or twice, (most likely around Summer Orientation) just to say hello!
So this is see ya later and have a great Summer!

Peace out Cub Scouts :]

It's the Last Week of Classes!!

That's right folks! It's officially the LAST WEEK OF CLASSES!!! WOO HOO!!
This week is crazy busy with presentations, papers and getting ready to go home for summer! This week I have 3 presentations, one paper, one portfolio and a final due. I have done one presentation already - 1 down 2 to go! I am taking my Problem Solving final early on Friday. Which leaves me with only one final to take next Tuesday. One of the great things about college is that not all your classes have a 'final' - some have a paper or presentation due instead. I also am finishing up my practicum I have one day left tomorrow morning! I will be sad to not see the kids everyday, I have to say I've grown a bit attached!

Your basic EMTA bus

Today, we took a break from studying and went to see Thor (which was awesome) at the movie theater. One of the nice things about Mercyhurst is that even if you don't have a car you can still get off campus and do lots of fun things! There is a shuttle run by the Erie Metro Transit Authority (EMTA), the public bus service for the City of Erie, and you can take it anywhere! We have a special bus loop that runs from Mercyhurst up to the mall, restaurants, movie theaters, and grocery stores. You can also ride any of the EMTA buses for free when you show your Mercyhurst ID! This is especially great for freshmen who aren't allowed to bring cars to campus, or students who don't have car. It's also nice when you just don't want to spend money on gas.
So that friends is my little blip for now.... Goodnight!

Funday Sunday

So it's Funday Sunday - you know the kind of Sunday where it is so beautiful outside all you want to do is grill, hang out with friends and enjoy the sunshine! I'm taking a quick break from all the fun to write to you as I wait for my steaks to finish thawing so I can go grill up some dinner!
This weekend was a busy and fun one if you were here at the Hurst! On Friday night we kicked of Springfest Weekend with a Concert headlined by the Plain White T's not to mention opened by our very own The Romantic Era! Then on Saturday, it was the luau and barbecue out in Garvey Park! They had food, inflatables, games, prizes and a generally awesome time had by all! Springfest is definitely everyone's favorite weekend on Campus. And today is the perfect way to end a great weekend!
Also on Saturday morning we hosted 'Junior Day' here on campus for prospective High School Juniors. This is where Juniors and their families could come to Mercyhurst, tour the campus, go to a student panel and meet professors and clubs on campus! So hopefully if you are a Junior you made it out, but if you didn't you can always schedule a tour here at Mercyhurst by just calling Admissions!
So I'm back off to enjoy the rest of the sunshine and get some dinner!

Relay and Ballet

This weekend was definitely a busy one on campus! On Saturday Mercyhurst held its second annual Relay for Life, this was also the weekend the Mercyhurst Dancers put on their Spring Ballet "Cinderella".

Survivors Lap during the Relay for Life

All day Satuday and until 1am Sunday Mercyhurst, Students, Faculty, Alumni and Staff stayed out all day and night to support a great cause. To fight to end cancer and find a cure for cancer. The relay began with a survivor lap then the team laps began! My team was a group of friends and we were team Japan! Each team was given a different country so that they could participate in the "Relay Olypmics later that night". My shift was early in the day so I walked around the course set up in Garvey Park near the Student Union. There was music food, raffles, and games - and of course the relay! We had a great time walking around enjoying the beautiful afternoon and supporting a great cause.
On a side not congratulations to the Men's Lacrosse team for winning against NYIT on Saturday afternoon 10-8. The winning goals were scored in the last two minutes of the game. I caught the very end of the game while I was on my break and it was very exciting!

Saturday evening I went to see the Mercyhurst Dancers perform Cinderella at our beautiful Performing Arts Center here on campus. Here is a view of the stage from our seats :)

The PAC is a beautiful venue! And I had a great seat!

The show was great! There were beautiful costumes and sets, and everyone looked very professional. You could tell that a lot of hard work went into the show. I think Cinderella might be my favorite ballet!

Now it's time to get some work done :) Homework time for me! For now I'll leave you with this song that I am currently in love with :) "Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

Soccer Club!

Hey all!
Just a quick (and exciting) update! This year my friends and I have been working to get a Soccer Club started here at Mercyhurst - and it finally happened! After we got all our paperwork in, fixed it, and got our approval we are now an official Mercyhurst RSCO (Registered Student Club/Organization)! I've been playing soccer casually here at MC and during intramurals for three years now. But we decided that we wanted more opportunities to play and better organization. So we got together and with the help of the Center for Leadership and Student Engagement we created our own club! Our advisor, someone who is faculty, staff or administration, is Dale White - the Men's Soccer Coach here! We thought who better to advise the Soccer Club than the Soccer Coach! Right?
As a club we plan on offering MC students more ways to play soccer here on Campus. So if you're interested and you'll be here next fall come check us out! We have our first official club meeting on Monday night where we will also hold our first Officer Elections.
Speaking of Soccer.... Wednesday night was our second intramural game! We lost our first one by a score of 6-3 (we were halfway there...). This week we came back with a vengeance and won the game 8-2! Woo Hoo! Hopefully next time I will remember my camera so you guys can see some action shots!
I know I promised pictures of Kids n Sibs - however I can't get them off my phone.... So I'm working on it. Eventually soon there will be a picture of me with a Boa Constrictor and an American Alligator!
I have a meeting in a few minutes, so I must run!

Later!

Kid's & Sibs Weekend!

This past weekend was the annual Kids & Sibs weekend here at Mercyhurst! And of course I had my two younger brothers and cousins come visit me for the weekend! Now you are probably thinking, hey that's a lot of people in one apartment - and you're right! It was a lot of people, but the older of my two brothers actually stayed with my boyfriend and his roommates at their apartment. They played video games and goofed around doing "guy stuff".
On Friday afternoon my family arrived and after checking in with SAC we got free pizza for dinner at the Student Union! After that we headed over to hang out with some friends and play a few games of Kan Jam! For those of you who don't know, Kan Jam is a game played with a frisbee, and two small cans with a slot in the front of each. The idea is to try and either hit the can, get the frisbee in the top, or "slot it" by throwing the frisbee through the front slot. If you get it in the slot you win! After a few games of Kan Jam it was time for the "Solo Circus"! The "Solo Circus" was a one man show performed by Michael DuBois. He could juggle, ride a unicycle, walk a slack line, read minds, and escape from a straight jacket! Not to mention - doing several of these at the same time! He was also quite a joker and was really funny! He appealed to everyone there - both the big and little sibs. I have a video of him, and I will try to remember to upload it later this week! On Saturday there was a big wind storm on campus and unfortunately we lost power for most of the morning. However the show must go on! And SAC did just that! The circus in the REC Center went on as planed, even without the inflatable obstacle course it was still a hit! There was a reptile exhibit where I got to hold an American Alligator and a Boa Constrictor! There were free Rita's Italian Ice, cotton candy, animal crackers, popcorn, and circus peanuts to eat! They also had an awesome balloon artist who was making some pretty crazy animals/hats/wings. A face painter was pretty awesome - these were more than just your basic cat and dog faces or a star on the cheek! These were some seriously intricate face paintings and some had glitter too! Oh and did I mention there was a mini golf course set up in the REC too? I'll have some pictures up soon.
This week is a short one, we only have class till Thursday and then are off till Monday for Easter! If you're thinking about touring the campus, the weather in Erie is starting to warm up and flowers are starting to bloom! So call in and get a tour set up!
After while crocodiles :)

Monday!

So, it's been awhile readers, I apologize profusely! This last week was mid-terms and I was quite the busy person! This week however promises to be much better - ie no more mid-terms and much warmer weather!
Over the weekend, Erie decided to become the wonderful place I know it is and warmed up to a balmy 75F (23C)! I played pick up soccer on Friday and Saturday! Saturday we played outside and it was awesome. It's really nice to get outside and play - it gets a little cramped in the gym after a while. Yesterday, I took my homework outside and sat in front of Zurn and enjoyed the sunshine as I worked on a few papers. I'm even happy about getting a little sun burnt from it! Intramural soccer officially starts this week - unfortunately our team has a bye the first week. So I'll report back next week with the intramural update :)
This weekend was the Spring Charity Ball, however, I decided not to go (I was playing soccer and doing homework). But from what I hear from my roommates and a lot of other people who did go - it was a blast! This year it was held at the Union Station downtown in Erie. The Station is a beautiful place for a dance, and their food is yummy! The Charity Ball is always a good time, lots of dancing, singing and just plain goofing around.
Coming up this weekend is Kids 'n' Sibs! My two brothers and one or two cousins are coming to visit and stay with me on Friday and Saturday! This year is a Circus theme weekend, so there should be lots of fun things to do! I have work to do this morning so I'll be back later this week with more to talk about!
Later gator!

Movies, Music and More (oh my!)

For those of you have have not seen "The King's Speech" yet - I HIGHLY reccomend it! I went to see it last night here at Mercyhurst with my roommate and some friends. It was so good! I think I'm going to buy it when it comes out on dvd.... But anyways, Mercyhurst has this
awesome program called the Guelcher Film Series - which brings all kinds of great movies to campus for students and the Erie community! Last night it was "The King's Speech" and next week it's a clay animation movie called "Mary and Max" - it looks really cute I want to go! But what is great about the Guelcher Film Series is that all these movies are FREE to Mercyhurst students when you show your ID. The Mary D'Angleo Performing Arts Center or the PAC for short is where the Films are shown, this is also one of the places that Mercyhurst brings in some amazing live acts as well. For instance this Sunday, April 3 Buddy Guy is coming! I'm really excited to get to see such an amazing music legend perform! My brother, and Dad are both coming up for the show too so I get to see my family!

***P.S.- I GOT TO PLAY BUDDY GUY'S GUITAR!! He came out into the audience and was standing right in front of me and reached out and said "Give me your hand little girl," grabbed my hand and had me play his guitar! HOW AMAZING!!!!***

Although these kinds of events aren't usually free for students, the PAC offers student rate tickets so it is affordable.
Not your cup of tea? So you like the Opera? Mercyhurst streams Opera's from the Metropolitan Opera in NEW YORK live here! It's all a part of the MET Opera: HD Live Series.

Maybe the Arts aren't your thing, but you like to hear some great speakers? Check out the Live: From NY 92nd Street Y Series. This series broadcasts live talks by famous comedians, speakers, authors, buisnessmen and women and so many others! Last year I went to watch Mitch Albom, the author of "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" and "Tuesday's with Morrie", speak about his books and how he wrote them.
So no matter what you're interest, there are plenty of opportunities to see some great shows as well as listen to some awesome music.

Got questions? Ask me!

Hello Internet! (And everyone out there on the Internet)

Hey there everybody!
My name is Monica (if you haven't figured that out yet) and I am an Junior here at Mercyhurst College! I am a new blogger this year and will be keeping you up to date with all that is going in here at the 'Hurst. So if you haven't read my "About Me" section yet I'll fill you in - for those of you who have here's a reminder :)
I am an Education Major - Middle Childhood Education
I'm also an English Minor!
I used to be a Sportsmedicine major with a minor in Pre-Physical Therapy!
- Fun fact did you know that 80% of College students change their major at least once? AND about 90% of those that do change their major do it with in the first year. -
I play intramural soccer here! Our season is about to start!
I am also a member of the Ambassador Club, the Equestrian Club, Phi Eta Sigma, and Diversity 101!
Oh, and I'm a Laker Leader! Which means if you do chose Mercyhurst I just might see you at your Summer Orientation!
Last Spring(2010) I studied abroad in Dungarvan, Ireland for 10 weeks and it was the best time of my life! I had such an amazing time! I met so many awesome people and learned a lot too! To hear more about my study abroad experience click on my "Study Abroad" tab up at the top of the page! I linked up my blog from when I was away, as well as a few tumblrs of students who are in Dungarvan right now studying! So go on over there and check it out!
I'm going to wrap this blog up with some pictures and call it a night! I have to be up early to go do Practicum tomorrow morning!
If you have any questions please feel free to ask me!


This is what I walked past on my way to class in Dungarvan... Pretty nice huh?


This is a throw back to Freshman year when we went to an 80's themed dance in the Union. Obviously we are doing Thriller....

This one is from early this winter when we went to the mall and played with the puppies at the pet store!

This is from the Fall Charity Ball this year! I went with my very handsome boyfriend Conrad :)

Like I said - if you have any questions ask away!