Busy as a Bee

It's been a while since my last post so let me catch you up...

I went to New York City last Monday for my first time ever!! I have lived in New York state my entire life and traveled abroad twice, and had never been to New York City before. I was only there briefly, for two days (which for New York is not enough time), but I was able to visit many of my friends and see so many sights. I Started at Rockefeller Center and saw the Christmas tree and the skating rink, saw Bryant Park, the Library, Times Square, 5th avenue, SOHO, Grand Central Station, NYU and walked the Brooklyn Bridge to Brooklyn. I even saw the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building while on the bridge. It was a brief tour, but a full one nonetheless, then I headed to Connecticut with my Boyfriend for Thanksgiving. For a week of "vacation" it sure was a busy one with all the traveling, touring and visiting but a nice break from the loads of work I have to finish before next week for finals.

The looming stressing of finals is here and I will be spending the next week at school until 11 every night. I am not looking forward to that, however I am anxiously awaiting the completion of the school year and my birthday on December 9!! Then a week off and I'm heading home for two weeks to rest and relax with the family.

Happy December 1st!!~~**Let it Snow~~**

November Already!!

I cannot believe it is already November 4th, election day and Halloween has come and gone! I went to Salem for a Halloween party and as I mentioned in a previous blog, I went as Waldo. Check out the dorky pic!
Salem is such a cute, quaint town and it was so cool to see how many people were there dressed in full costume. I took the commuter rail train and it was so packed people were standing in the aisles. Luckily it is only a half hour ride.

Today marks a milestone in my schooling, as the last time I will ever be registering for classes. This morning I registered for my final four classes as an undergraduate student. I cannot believe how quickly four years flew by and that I will be graduating in only a few short months. It is bittersweet because I really love school however, I am so eager to get a job and start working in the field I have spent four years preparing for. I am currently in search of an internship at an interior design or architecture firm for the spring. I need to have some work experience to put on my resume before I graduate so that I will have better luck landing a job once I'm out of school. I have to say though, finding an internship requires a lot of additional work aside from going to school, like preparing cover letters, and resumes writing emails and making follow up phone calls as well as always trying to network. I often get stressed about not finding an internship or even worse, a job after graduation, but I have to keep telling myself to persevere and keep working at it.

As for now, I have to get back to work here in the office and then head home to make some internship follow-up phone calls.

Blog ya later
-j

Cinderella

I couldn't have been more excited for this past weekend. I have been waiting to see Cinderella performed by the Boston Ballet since I ordered tickets almost a month ago. I went on Friday with my boyfriend to the Wang Theatre to see the ballet and was blown away.

First of all, it was my first time seeing a ballet so I was dying with anticipation. It was fun to get dressed up and go on a fancy date. The ballet was beautiful, the costumes were so fun and the score was wonderful. I loved to see how they interpreted an old fairy tale into a modern, roaring twenties era version of the classic. My favorite characters by far were the stepsisters. They were very silly and quite animated, even though they didn't speak. My favorite part of the ballet was when Cinderella came down from the ceiling in a giant pumpkin. There were also men in the ballet dressed up in tuxedos that had pumpkin heads. They were quite funny.

The show ran for two weeks and closed on Sunday so if you didn't go, you really missed out on a great show. Playing next at the Wang Theatre is "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and the Boston Ballet will be presenting"The Nutcracker" at the Boston Opera House. Get tickets before they're gone. Student rush tickets are only $20 so rush to the theatre an hour before they show to try and snag some good ones.

Blog ya later

-j

Admissions on the Weekend

So this Saturday I had to work at Admissions for an info session event called 'Students to Students'. The event is smaller than an open house but larger than a regular tour and is basically run by the student ambassadors like myself. A casual, informal event were the student ambassadors sit on stage and talk to the audience of prospective students and parents about life at Suffolk. They discussed classes and dorm life, off-campus living, applying, study abroad, sports and other topics prospective students needed to hear about. After that we gave campus tours. We have another one next weekend which I am also working at. If you're interested in seeing the campus and hearing more about the university from a students perspective, sign up to come visit this Saturday.

Other than working at the admissions office i watched the Red Sox game's. Saturday night I went to a friends house to hang out and watch them win! Last night I stayed and watched the game and was so sad that they lost. On the other hand, they had a great season and a good run. Guess baseball season is over and time for football and hockey.

gotta run- blog ya later
-j

Busy Bee

This weekend my parents were in town to visit me. They flew in from Buffalo on Friday morning and stayed until Tuesday afternoon. We had such a great time but were very busy. I wanted to show them some parts of the city they hadn't seen before during other visits and to share some local hot spots with them. Since the weather was so great this weekend we did tons of walking.

On Friday I took them to Harvard Square since its such a great spot to walk around and people watch. We also walked through Harvard Yard and went to The Harvard Museum of Natural History. I wanted to show them the glass flower exhibit they have there, which is comprised of over 4000 hand made glass plants and flowers which are exact replicas. If you've never been you should check it out, the exhibit it amazing and it seems impossible that the specimens are actually glass because they appear so life-like. We also went to the Border Cafe, a great spot for amazing Tex-Mex food in Harvard Square.

Saturday I took them to the Barking Crab for lunch because it was a beautiful; sunny fall day, great for lunch on the patio. They have the best seafood there and the best part is you can eat with your hands. When you order crabs or lobster, they bring you a rock to crack the shells instead of a claw cracker. They even have live music all summer and on weekends in the fall.

After a filling lunch we headed over to the ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art) which is only a few steps from the Barking Crab. The building is a piece of art and an architectural feet. If you haven't seen it, you should go now!! On Thursdays they have free admission so take advantage.
There is a new exhibit that just opened on October 10 which is absolutely amazing. Tara Donovan uses conventional manufactured materials like plastic cups, straws and scotch tape and uses them in unconventional and unexpected ways. You have to see the exhibit to really understand how amazing her work is.

If you're looking for a trendy new spot for dinner drinks and live music, check out The Beehive int he South End. We went there for dinner on Saturday and it was very fun. The entertainment that night was Deva Mahal, whose voice is a powerful cross between Aretha Franklin's and Ella Fitzgerald's...An amazing combination.

We spent Sunday night in the South End too, having dinner at Masa, the best south of border food around. The restaurant itself is really nice inside and the food was soooo good.

On we took the T to Coolidge Corner for breakfast at an amazing Jewish style deli, Zaftigs that has the best breakfast and sandwichs. They even have homemade pickles that are out of this world.

Monday, which was Columbus Day we took the water ferry to the Boston Harbor Islands to explore what they had to offer. Only two of the many islands were open because it was so late in the season, but we went to Spectacle Island which had hiking and walking trails, a beach and a visitor center. We also went to Georges Island which is home to an old war fort, Fort Warren which you can wander and explore on your own. It's really cool because you're allowed to go in any part of the fort and there are no rangers telling you what to do or where to go. The fort is a little eerie, but cool. I took some great photos which I'm planning on using in my print making class. If you're looking to visit Georges Island, they are having a haunted Halloween party at Fort Warren on October 25th and 26th. Boats leave from the Long Wharf so check the website for more details.

Needless to say, I had an amazing, delicious food and fun filled weekend with my parents and saw so many great sites around town. I feel like I need a nap just to catch up from this busy weekend.

Gotta run- Blog ya later!
-j

Playtime's Over

Well I have to say that I have been kind of coasting the past few weeks, doing my work and having time to play; however this week it feels like all that coasting is coming to bite me in the butt. I have tons of work due this week and next and I'm running out of time to get it done. I'm sure that taking this weekend off to go visit a friend (a former ambassador, Cordelia) didn't help my work situation. However I have to say that even though I'm feeling a little stressed about getting everything done, it was well worth it.
Cordelia and I celebrated Halloween a little early since she is going to be out of town for the actual holiday. We carved pumpkins, cooked pumpkin seeds and even went apple picking and got cider. I'm planning on making an apple pie sometime this week. It was so nice to spend a weekend in the country, especially this time of year. The air was so crisp and fresh and the hills were lined with a rainbow of different colored trees.


Carving pumpkins with Cordelia above.


Our finished pumpkins (mine is on the right)


Well, I will be going now. I have to get some work done here in the office, then do some reading and then head home to do more homework. Blog ya later!
-J

October 1

Happy October!! Today is the first of October which means that we have been in school for almost a month. Midterms are rapidly approaching and the end of the semester will be here before we know it(or are ready for it). I feel like the first month just flew by as I was keeping my schedule full, between school work, admissions and working as a waitress at a restaurant near my house. At times it's a bit overwhelming to squeeze everything in, but I feel better knowing I am busy and making time for things rather than having so much free time I don't know what to do with myself.

This semester I am taking a senior studio elective in which I was able to choose what kind of studio I wanted. Most people in my field, Interior Design, chose electives that were related to their field, however I decided to choose something that would allow me to have a little bit more freedom and expressive ability. The class is a printmaking class where we experiment with all different types of printing processes. The first two weeks we worked on linoleum cut prints, where we carved designs into pieces of linoleum and then rolled them with ink and printed them. I really enjoyed experimenting with different cutting and printing techniques. The next technique that we learned is called a gum arabic transfer. This process is really cool and so simple but sounds complicated. The interesting part about this technique is that you can use any image imaginable, a photo from your travels, a torn page from an old book, memorabilia, a self portrait...the sky's the limit. You take any image and make a photo copy of it and then cover it with a solution of gum arabic then roll it with ink, put it through the press and you've transfer your copied image onto your paper with ink. It's pretty amazing. I think the best part of the class is the professor. His teaching style works really well with my learning style because he teaches us the formal and traditional printing methods and then allows and encourages us to experiment and take it in our own direction. That process of collaborative learning allows me to come up with new ideas and methods that compliment my working style.

I will take some pictures of my work and post them as soon as I can get around to it. Leave me a note if you want to know more about printing or the processes I discussed.

Blog ya later
-j

Almost October

So I have to tell you how excited I am about Halloween!! I know it's only September, but I have been amped up for Halloween since summer escaped us. I can't get enough of Halloween and fall decorations and I have been shopping for anything fall and going wild decorationing my apartment. My place is so festive now, covered in leaves, baby pumpkins, candy corn and mumms and smells of pumpkin spice. Yesterday I bought a spooky black tree that holds a candle, at TJ Maxx, which is a great spot to find seasonal decorations.

Today in the office I spent a large chunk of time with my fellow ambassadors brainstorming what I was going to be for Halloween. I always try to be something creative and different from the normal, "skanky" costumes that many girls bust out on Halloween. So I've decided to be Waldo, from Where's Waldo, which will be one of a kind, comfortable and warm. Being warm is always a plus considering Halloween around theses parts is normally freezing and on occasion, dusted in snow flurries. All I need is a red and white stripped sweater and hat, extremely blue jeans and some glasses.

Last night I joined Whitney and Emily for an alternative dinner of nachos at Fajita's and Rita's, then did a little Halloween decorations shopping and went home to relax and watch Sex and The City Movie. All in all it was a relaxing evening, a nice break from doing schoolwork. Sometimes I have to take a mid-week break from work and do something to get away from homework.

I have to get back to work, but if anyone has any recommendations or ideas for costumes, throw them my way!!

-j

the beginning of the end

Well the school year is in full swing as fall rapidly approaches and I have bittersweet feelings about being a senior. I am excited about getting a job in something I've devoted the last four years to, but I'm also sad to be leaving Suffolk. This fall marks the beginning of the end my life as a college student. I will soon be considered an adult, in the "real world", with a "real job-kinda scary, but exciting nonetheless.

Firstly, Happy Fall!! Today makes the official Autumn Solstice. I am eager to see the change of seasons, while I am not excited about the dropping temperatures. I love fall and everything associated with it; the changing leaves, the smells, carving pumpkins, candy corn, apple picking, cider and especially Halloween. I know it may be a little early but I have already started decorating for Halloween, one of my favorite holidays.
I also love the fall because it is the beginning of the school year, a time in the year where the stresses of an overwhelming work load haven't begun and I can still enjoy some free time during the week. I am always reminded of a line in one of my favorite movies, You've Got Mail around this time. "I just love fall, it makes want to buy school supplies...I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address." I know that may sound cheesy, but I love the idea of it and it reminds me of the fall.
Anywho, I am excited to share with you something exciting I came across on the Suffolk website. I was perusing through the admissions link and clicked on the virtual tour, expecting it to be the same old lame tour we had always had, which was basically just pictures of each building and a brief description of the departments that were contains inside, when I was pleasantly surprised to a completely new virtual tour and map.

I have to run to class.. blog ya later
-j

there is light at the end of the tunnel!!

It has been nothing but great weather here in Boston, and school couldn't be over fast enough. There are only 6 more days until the end of the school year!! That means only 6 more days of work and studying and then it's summer!! However, I still have a dark cloud looming over my head because I haven't found a summer job yet.

I have worked almost all of my required hours here in the office, so last friday (i normally work fridays), i was lucky enough to spend the entire afternoon in the park with my friends. We played frisbee, got ice cream and even walked down to the river to put our feet in. It was such a great day i even got a sunburn! The weather also remained hot and sunny throughout the weekend and was perfect on monday, marathon monday. Here in Boston we have patriot's day on the third monday in april , which is also the same day as the Boston marathon. That means no school, and lots of fun!
I went to the race to see some friends who were running and spent the rest of the day hanging out with friends and wandering the city. There is always something fun to stumble upon in the city.

I need to get back to work and then head to library to study for finals. Hopefully I will have time to run along the river and watch the sun set.

catch ya later
-jillian

4 weeks and counting...

this semester seems to be flying by, yet spring is killing me with anticipation if its arrival. You never know here in New England what the day will bring. Two days ago we had a 60 degree, sunny spring day and today, it's freezing and rainy....i think the thing i hate most about spring is all the rain; however, on the upside of things, there is less than 4 weeks of school left. I cannot wait for classes to end and to have a break from all this school work!! With the end of the semester approaching, I have many projects that need to be wrapped up and I also still have to get a summer job! I have been writing cover letters ad updating my resume, but with all of my classes taking up most of my time, I can't find a minute to finalize them and send them out. Hopefully this weekend I can send them out so that I can start interviewing.
Last Sunday the Admissions office held their annual Showcase for accepted students, and we have another Showcase coming up this Saturday, so I been getting a lot of hours in here at the office, but neglecting to update my blog. I also traveled to Westchester, NY last week for an accepted students reception, and to share my perspective on life as a college student. I like speaking to crowd and working in the admissions office gives me the opportunity to practice.

I just registered for my classes for next fall and I cannot believe that I am graduating soo soon. I have only 7 classes left to take and it will be such a nice change of pace to take only 4 classes in the fall and only 3 in the spring!! I am excited about graduation, but I am sad to leave school...it will be exciting to get out into the "real world" and start my career.

I'm not feeling that well, so I don't know what to write...I'm going to head home and get some rest.
until then...
-j

it's called break for a reason

ok...wow... can I just catch my breath for a minute??
I have had the busiest past two weeks ever. I think that I should just move a cot into NESAD (The New England School of Art & Design). I feel like I have spent every waking moment at the art school these past two weeks trying to finish a project I have been working on for 6 weeks. I finally handed it in on Thursday and wow, it feels great to get it out of my sight. Spring break couldn't have come at a better time.

I know that even though it's "Spring Break" there is probably some work I should be doing, however... I NEED A BREAK!!! and therefore the only thing I plan on doing this next week is sleeping, eating, watching TV and hanging with my friends...(a schedule that I would normally 1. never have time for and 2. feel guilty for doing) seems acceptable after the work load I have had.

I will be going home to Buffalo on Tuesday next week to see my family! I haven't seen them since I moved into my new apartment in January, so I am excited to see them, as well as have some one to cook for me :) . I am just excited to be HOME... it's so nice after being away to go back to your house, it's always so relaxing and it makes you appreciate it more when your away too. However, the only thing I'm not that looking forward to is the weather. Just when I leave Boston, the weather warms up, and of course, the place that I'm going to has just been hit with tons of snow and is expecting more!! I was hoping to be able to run outside and go bike riding when I got home, but I guess with snow on the ground that is out of the question. I guess I could always go skiing.

Anyway, I am just about ready to break out of these walls. Having to work on Friday's kinda stinks, especially today...the first day of Spring Break!! And with St. Patty's on Monday, this is a big weekend for Boston. I can't wait to go to the parade in Southie (South Boston...loads of Irish people) and then celebrate like a true Irish on Monday. In Boston, St. Patrick's Day is a serious holiday, and even those who aren't (like myself), are Irish for a day!

So on that note, I am heading out...I will probably go running outside today since we were fortunate enough to have a warmer, sunny day today. I better go before it starts raining.

Happy St. Patrick's Day and don't forget.. every one's a little bit Irish!

spring... is that you?

It feels like Spring today...finally!!

There is nothing better than leaving your house in the morning all bundled up and ready to bear the elements, when you're hit by a heat wave.
I may be from Buffalo, but I am NOT a cold weather girl. The unexpected Spring day in the midst of Winter is ever so refreshing. I can't wait for the start of baseball season and being able to leave the house without enough gear to hike Everest(just to make it to class). With that said, I walked to school today with coat in hand. That means Spring is on it's way (knock on wood.. in New England you never know).

As far as life goes, I feel like I've been living at NESAD (The New England School of Art & Design) lately, which is the trend with most of the art students. I had a critique today for one of my classes, which entails presenting your finished work to your classmates and professor as well as outsiders, such as professional Interior Designers and Architects. A critique can be nerve racking, but it's a great way to develop strong presentation skills, handle positive and negative criticism as well as get input from professionals. I enjoy presenting my finished work, so it's not that bad, but some people find it very stressful.
My Contract Design Studio is a commercial design studio, where we learn how to design commercial spaces like office buildings, cafes or school buildings. On this particular project, we were assigned to design the office space for the Department of Neighborhood Development in Cambridge, MA (which was a hypothetical project, but an actual department). We were given the shell of an existing building and required to space plan, create floor plans and develop 3D models all while following building codes as well as creating a environmentally responsible space. Environmentally responsible building/design is determined by LEED Standards (The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and you can check out what they do at http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=222. I think that building "green" is very important to ensure that the materials we are adding to our homes and buildings are not hurting our environment, and that they are being properly recycled.
I will be posting images of my work in the near future, so you can see what type of work is expected of Interior Design students as well as see how this project came out.

So after a hectic week of preparation and finishing of my project, it is a real "weight off the shoulders" to have presented, and now I can focus on my next project, a hat shop!

As for now, I need to get back to work, as well as upload some new pics for the blog. Don't forget to watch the season finale of Project Runway this Wednesday (tomorrow) at 10pm. I can't wait to see who will win.

Now get off the computer, go outside and enjoy the good weather before it's gone!
-jillian

ps. happy march!

blog numero uno

Wow, do I have a lot of adventures to share with all of you.

But before I go telling you about my travels and adventures in Madrid and Boston, I should probably introduce myself first and foremost.

My Name is Jillian and I am currently a third year student at the New England of Art and Design at Suffolk University, studying Interior Design. I came to Suffolk from my hometown of Buffalo, New York because I feel in love with Boston and the great programs this school had to offer. I also loved that Suffolk had a extensive study abroad program and I was thrilled and intrigued to hear that it also had a campus in Madrid, Spain, a place I had always wanted to visit.

So as far as school goes, I love what I’m doing. The Interior Design program at Suffolk’s art school is so awesome, and I love how “hands-on” it is. I never knew that I would be going to college for art, but I love that I am. The program keeps me very busy, with studio classes that run 6 hours a week, but I feel like I am learning so much, and am really prepared to enter the work industry. I aspire to someday own and run my own design firm, but for the near future I am looking for summer internships in Boston. I am interested in Commercial design, which includes retail, institutional, educational and hospitality design(hotels and restaurants) which I find the most intriguing.

As for life in Boston, how can anyone complain (except for the unpredictable New England weather). I can’t believe how much there is to do in this city and how many fun things you can find that are free. Being a student also helps out with nice discounts at a lot of events.
I would have to say, that one of my favorite things to do in this city is to attend a late afternoon Red Sox game with some friends. There is nothing better than cheering on the Sox with all the other fans, while eating a hot dog, enjoying a cold drink and singing along to “Sweet Caroline”. I never really followed MLB until I came to Boston, and I’m glad I decided to do so in a city so passionate about their team.
Other than attending games, I love to go “exploring” around the city and finding cool new places to tell my friends about. I recently just attended an awesome show with a friend at The Good Life, a bar/lounge close to school that has live music on Tuesday nights, and was blown away. The band we saw was sooo amazing and talented. It was an awesome jam session, with really talented musicians.
Walking along the Charles River and through the Boston Common and Garden is also so nice and relaxing on a warm spring day, and I just found this cool website that shows and tracks the routes you walk and run. Check it out at http://www.walkjogrun.net/ to calculate how far you’ve gone.

I feel like I have so much more to write about but I want to save it for future blogs (just like the cliff hanger feeling you get while watching your favorite weekly show , like “LOST” for some of you crazy fans out there, or like “Project Runway” for me)
So look out for future blogs about my life in Boston, Music, Art, Pictures as well as Traveling stories and Life in Madrid.

Until then,
-jillian