Summer Update!

So here's the summer update so far!

I'm still on campus, working as a Conference Assistant (and a couple of other jobs here and there...can't get bored!) First picture is me and my awesome CA buddy and roommate, Chelsea. Check out the sweet Conference Services polos.

As you might expect, we've had some conferences! The first few were pretty small, but this week is the annual Huw Williams soccer camp--not the biggest conference we have this summer, but definitely the most lively! We have almost 300 kids, elementary and middle school age, attending this camp, and about a third of them are staying on campus in a dorm. They're very cute and enthusiastic...but they tend to lock themselves out quite a bit!

Check out the camper picture...it's taken from really far away, but you can see a group of them ready to head back to shower after a full day of drills and scrimmages.

In other news, my grad school search is officially off the ground now. I managed to compile a massive list of all the grad programs/schools I want to seriously consider applying to in the fall--my only stipulation is that I want to move north, where it's colder! So I'm looking at several schools in Minnesota, Ohio, Indiana, and Alaska, among others. Luckily I found out that several of the other Jesuit universities in the United States have excellent MA in English programs. One of the great parts about Rockhurst is that Jesuit connection--first and foremost because other universities know Rockhurst and it's reputation! I'm also a member of Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit honors society, which means that I have sort of a special status as a product of Jesuit education. Anyway, I'll probably have applications headed to John Carroll, Xavier, and St. Joseph's in a few months!

Right now I'm trying to focus on picking my "short list" of schools, taking the GRE, and developing a personal statement and summary of my goals for applications. I'm not entirely sure I'm doing this right...but so far, it has been a surprisingly fun process!

The next couple of weeks are going to be the craziest of the summer for me, and I'm definitely looking forward to July and the conferences we have then.

Until next time!