Well, my sophomore year of college is almost over. I cannot believe how fast it has gone by. This time next week I’ll only have one more final to go, but there is still plenty to do before then, including “Fun Week”.

Fun Week is the finals week of Fontbonne where my roommate and I incorporate something fun to do each day. We’re pretty busy with finals and projects and other school work, but we’re still going to fit some fun things in! We’re planning on checking out a lot of retail places we’ve never been before. Soft Surroundings, CLR MSTR, ReFresh, and The Limited are on the list. We even have coupons for a couple places. A little retail therapy between tests will be nice! We’re also planning on going to a burger place downtown called Bailey’s Range for dinner. It was highly recommended by a friend. There’s a fashion exhibition in the Loop we’re going to look at one day. For an afternoon snack we’re taking a trip to Trader Joe’s. I’ve never been. There’s lots of fun happening during fun week!

On a side note, last Friday’s Springfest concert was a great time. Fontbonne isn’t as boring as you might think on the weekend!

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As this semester is coming to an end, and I am stressing out because as much as exams have snuck up on me, they have clearly snuck up on my professors even more! All of my teachers are throwing multiple projects or papers at me right now, trying to make sure they cover all the material they said we would and sometimes I just want to be like “THIS IS NOT MY ONLY CLASS!” But alas, I don’t, and each semester I survive and over break wonder why I stressed so much during the school year!

I cannot believe that come May 13 I will have officially completed half of my college career! It really is crazy how fast time flies! I’ve been thinking about the last two years a lot the past couple of days, and I look back at the friends I had the first week of college compared to the smaller amount I have now, and I am really happy with the good friends I have! College has been great so far, and I cannot wait to see what this second half has in store for me!

But first…I need to finish this semester!

Today is Springfest at Fontbonne. I spent most of today helping the fashion merchandising promotions class with their fashion show. I did odd jobs and helped dress models. Although I was backstage for most of the show, I think it was pretty amazing! I know I have a lot to live up to when I’m in the class next year!

After the fashion show I went and mingled with some of the incoming freshman for next year, and watched the Live Band Karaoke. After a brief dinner break, I’m about to go back for the concert tonight. Ryan Cabrera and Tyler Hilton are performing. I have never heard any of their music, but it will still be an experience!

It’s hard to believe that there’s only a couple more weeks left until summer. I have so much to do until then. It’s a little overwhelming. It will sure be nice when summer arrives and I don’t have to worry about homework or studying! I’m hoping for warm summer weather soon. I just have to make it until May 13th!

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I’m very excited for this Friday, because it is the annual Springfest at Fontbonne. This is a day full of performances and activities, which changes a little year to year. This is one of the biggest, most talked about events of the year, which I have been looking forward to for a long time. It is always a great way to celebrate the end of the school year and end it with a bang. This year, Springfest starts out with a performance by indie folk artist Owen Pye. He was on campus earlier this semester during the coffee house night, where he played guitar and sang his own songs. I am glad to have him back.

After that, there is going to be a fashion show, which is produced by the Fashion Promotions class in my beloved Fashion Merchandising department. I am thrilled to say that I am a model in the show. During my first two years at Fontbonne, I have helped dress models and worked behind the scenes for a couple shows, which was a lot of fun. But, I thought I’d try something different and participate as a model. I was a little nervous at first, but I am proud to say that the rehearsals have been going well.

Next, there will be a live-band karaoke in the late afternoon. I am a huge fan of karaoke, so you can count on me to be there the whole time hogging the microphone. How awesome will it be to perform with a live band?! Following this, dinner will be served while the next performers set up for their show. These musicians include Tyler Hilton from the show One Tree Hill and Ryan Cabrera from the show The Hills. These guys were big when I was in middle school, so it will be fun to take a little trip down memory lane. After the show, I am hoping to get pictures with them and have my CD’s signed. Being a huge fan of pop culture, all the events at Springfest this year are right up my alley. The performances will take place outside Medaille Hall in the meadow, so let’s pray for good weather! Regardless, Springfest 2013 is sure to be a hit. I know I’m ready for it!

Here at Fontbonne, we have a “Fontbonne Day” devoted to service. It’s a day where classes are cancelled and students have the opportunity to volunteer for numerous community service activities. I did not get involved with “Fontbonne Day” last year, but I was quick to register for a activity this year and volunteer last Friday.

The day began early for me (8 am) with coffee and a quest speaker. After about an hour each group broke off and went to their volunteer site. There was everything from gardening, cleaning, preparing for events, and washing dogs. I volunteered for something near and dear to my heart: animals. My group went to Open Door Animal Sanctuary in House Springs, MO. It is a no kill shelter that is the home or temporary home of more than 300 cats and 100 dogs.

While at Open Door, I loved and comforted the new-born kittens, as well as groomed some of the older cats in their “Cat Heaven”. All the cats were really inviting, frequently brushing up against my leg or meowing for attention. The dogs were housed in kennels, and we had the opportunity to give them their exercise and take them for a walk. Although it was more of a glamorous volunteer opportunity, I still felt good giving attention and love to the animals that need it most.

After visiting Open Door, I think I’m going to go back a few times this summer to volunteer and donate. They are in need of food and other supplies for the animals. I might even make a cat blanket or two! I will definitely be participating in Fontbonne day again next year. A day devoted to service is truly a good day!

Thanks for reading..

This Wednesday (April 17), I’m glad I joined a very meaningful event in the Lewis room, of the Jack C. Taylor Library at Fontbonne.  “Professional Branding and Marketing Presentation” was a special event to teach people who to market their business by social media.

Before we listened to the presentation by our speaker, Michelle Nelson, we had a “Networking Happy Hour,” which means all participants got some food and chatted with each other to build their personal network. For me, it’s also called a “social hour.” When I arrived at Lewis room, the first person I met was our speaker, Michelle Nelson. She was very nice to me. I feel so honored that the first person I met is our professional speaker who has been working for over twenties years as a marketing specialist. She spent some time to chat with me about my school life and my future career. Then, we exchanged our Facebook information with each other, of course, she’s a marketing person. After talking with Michelle, I got some chances to talk with our excellent alumni, faculty, and students. I really enjoyed this happy hour, since I made many new friends there, and ate some delicious food, of course.

After finishing the networking happy hour, everyone paid attention to the marketing presentation by our speaker, Michelle. She taught us how to use our social media, especially Facebook and pinterest, to market business. Moreover, she also told us how her clients have been successful to build up their business by social media. I really liked this presentation, since this information is very useful.

There are many useful resources that Fontbonne offers to alumni, faculty, and students, such as this event. I really need to say thank you to the Student Alumni Association for inviting Michelle to come to our school to give us a very useful presentation.

Good afternoon!

I figured I should post a blog since I’ve been slacking off..I apologize for that!

I hope everyone had a good weekend. If you ask me, I think it was in-between. First, everyone know Friday, April 12, was Fontbonne Service Day, right? Of course you do. And my accomplishment for that day was being the team captain for my group! That was a huge step for me.

My group went to the Shalom House for our service site. Shalom House is a shelter for homeless women who needs help to rebuild their lives. It’s a really great place because the women receive services and support for as long as they need until they’re able to live on their own, and they don’t have to pay anything until then. Classes are also provided for them, such as communications and skills. Rebecca Tucker was our volunteer coordinator and we communicated really well.

Our duties were to prepare and cook for our women. Our menu included spaghetti, garlic bread, corn, fruit salad, lemonade, brownies and hummingbird muffins for dessert. Yummm. The women really enjoyed it! Our group did an amazing job together. Our next assignment was helping Janette with sorting out things in their sanctuary area. There were so many new/old things in there! From what I remember, there were clothes, shoes, bags/purses, etc. Even boxes of Oreo cookies! Anthony Hall and Erica Garcia were definitely busy taking those away. They did great!

It was definitely a great service day. Rebecca really, really, really appreciated us, and I was so happy to hear that. I may come back next year!

Friday was also one of my cousins’ birthday. She’s 16 now! Man, the years really flew by. It was a pretty fun night with family, karaoke, Vietnamese pancakes (banh xeo) and a random game! I guess we could call it Name that Name in ABC order. Something like that.

Saturday was just work day. The usual. Then Sunday, I also went to work but afterwards, my sister and I went to Fontbonne to pick up friends to go for some Ted Drewes! Our fellow friends were Sem, Carlos, Erica, and Ahmed. If I was able to pick them up earlier, Izzy could’ve made it too. There’s always next time!

So yeah, that’s all I wanted to say about my recent weekend. Be safe, and take care!

I feel as though it has been forever since I last blogged! (When in reality it has only been a month) Ever since Spring Break I feel like I have been in hyper-drive trying to get everything done early so I am not stressed out with all my big projects right around exam time!

Over Spring Break I went to Pensacola, Florida which was a lot of fun, and definitely a much needed and appreciated vacation! I had a lot of fun, but once Spring Break was over it was back to reality of classes, school work, working at Orange Leaf and babysitting! Not much has happened other than staying busy. Last week was Spirit Week and because of work and babysitting I didn’t get to participate as much as I would have liked to, but I did get to go to the Cardinals game which is always a lot of fun with the Fontbonne group! Everyone who went to the dance said they had a great time, and the pictures made it look like a lot of fun! Hopefully next year I will be able to do more with Spirit week! Well, time for me to get back to all that studying and projects!

April in general tends to be an eventful month, so here are some snapshots from recent events:

Dueling Pianos, an Event Sponsored by FAB (Fontbonne Activities Board) for Spirit Week

People in the Fontbonne Community gathered for Fontbonne Day (a day that we have off of school so that Students, Faculty, and Staff can go out into the community and do service projects). Fontbonne Day is one of my favorite things about Fontbonne.

This is my Fontbonne Day service group at the Shalom House!

For more information about the Shalom House: http://www.shalomhousestl.org/

A picture from the Mr. Fontbonne Contest. The contestants are getting ready to perform an opening dance number.

Even though he didn't win Mr. Fontbonne, I was proud of my boyfriend Shea for winning the title Mr. Congeniality!

NSSLHA (National Student Speech-Language Hearing Association) had a Field Day on Campus!

One of the many photos taken at the Spring Dance.

Peace, Love, and April!!!!

This Thursday, April 18th, is the 3rd annual Environmental Fair! It will be happening from 11-2, in the meadow (weather permitting) or in the AMC of Medaille Hall! To remind you all how awesome the fair is, I’ll show you some pictures from last year.

Don’t forget you can borrow bikes from Environmental Club!

Raffle prizes! Plenty of that this year.

Organic farms!

Missouri Botanical Gardens Earthways Center!

REfresh!

The HES garden!

SEE HOW AWESOME!?!?! Super, then I’ll see you there.