ithacation

On Monday, I returned to resume life on the hill after a summer that included a heartbreaking lacrosse defeat, an engaging internship, a kayak crossing of Long Island Sound, and a cross-country road trip, among other things. Despite all of that excitement, I was ready to return to campus for my senior year. At this point, very little of me wants college to come to an end, but I expect to come to terms with the looming sense of finality as the semester and academic year progress.

Upon my return, I found my apartment and set foot in it for the first time; my two roommates had found it, toured it, and signed the lease while I was abroad in Chile last fall. They, in turn, had studied abroad in Europe this past spring, so their arrival in Ithaca was the first time I had seen either one of them since May 2008 — that’s a long time.

After some much-needed trips to Target and Wegmans (along with the rest of Cornell), we were able to settle into our apartment and get back into the swing of things. Classes started on Thursday, so here’s a quick rundown of my lineup for the semester:

• PORT 2090: Portuguese for Spanish Speakers
• NS 4450: Food Policy for Developing Nations
• PHYS 1201: Why the Sky is Blue: Aspects of the Physical World
• PAM 2100: Introduction to Statistics
• IARD 4020: Agriculture in Developing Nations
• PE 1400: Body-Mind

Both Portuguese and Agriculture in Developing Nations continue through the spring semester; the latter will take me on a two-week tour of southern India over winter break — can’t wait! All of my college-specific requirements will be taken care of by the end of the semester, which will allow me to have a slightly less stressful senior spring.

Before the work piles up, I’ve had the chance to enjoy the beautiful weather we’ve been having recently. Sunday morning Farmers Market brunches can’t be beat.