Greetings full of sunshine ya'll!
This is a post about, perhaps the most relaxing time for Scotties this semester, the Spring Break 2014. After taking a week off from classes and our regular school routine, we are back for the last part of this academic school year before summer kicks off. In case you are curious, the tradition originated more than 2,000 year ago in the Roman and Greek Empires (thank you great-great-great-...- grandparents). Just like today, they were celebrating the season of fertility. The first official Spring Breaks in the United States started in 1930s when a group of college students competed in a swimming championships in Florida. Today, many students take this opportunity to hang out with their friends, travel around or participate in a special kind of Spring Break, the Alternative Spring Break. Scotties experiences all of these options and were kind enough to share them with us.
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| My favorite place in U.S. is Washington, D.C. |
After this Spring Break, I can officially say that my favorite place in the United States so far is Washington, D.C. First of all, my stay there was like a two-day-long history lesson. I visited so many memorials that honor victims of different wars. I learned about the history of some American presidents. I also went to see a ballet and the Air and Space Museum. The most interesting part of the trip though was learning that the Capitol (on the picture) with the Statue of Freedom on the top of it is the tallest building in the city, symbolizing the greatest value of the American society, freedom.
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| Dildora Sharipova (exchange student from Uzbekistan): "My dream came true." |
I've had an amazing time in California during Spring Break. Together with my two friends, I visited the best cities of the West Coast: San Francisco, LA, San Diego and Las Vegas. We went to so many places and learned a lot about people and culture in California. Besides, we made new friends with other travelers from different parts of the world like Russia, Mexico, Costa Rica and Brazil. However, the highlight of our trip was the day trip to the Grand Canyon. I have always wanted to see it and this was absolutely a breathtaking experience. My dream came true!
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| "The view from our room was simply amazing," said Amy Rahimpour (class of 2015). |
This year for Spring Break I went to Panama City Beach with a group of friends. I had a great time with them and we met a lot of new people, too. The view from our room overlooked the Gulf of Mexico and was simply amazing. It was really fun because we really got to know each other and had great conversations during our drive from campus to Florida. I also had some amazing seafood while I was there. There were so many delicious restaurants along the road where we also did some shopping. I had a great experience, and I can't wait for next year's Spring Break!
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| Tayla Burnett, class of 2016 (second from the left), with other participants of the Alternative Spring Break. |
I had the privilege to participate in Alternative Spring Break. This program gives students the opportunity to give back to a local community during Spring Break. As a participant, you are required to participate in pre-departure meetings that will help build a sense of community within the group. These meetings were very helpful in producing dialogue around oppression and privilege and facilitated a free space to raise concerns freely. This year's location was Natchez, Mississippi. Natchez is a very quaint, historic city that is filled with wonderful people. Our main volunteer site was Natchez Children's Home. Here, we did yard work, cleaned and organized classroom space, participated in training on prevention of sexual abuse, and learned about their new initiatives toward working with children with mental health issues. We were able to interact with the locals from Natchez and hear about their stories and the impact the children's home have on their lives. The most exciting part of the trip was bonding with my fellow Alternative Spring Break Scotties. We shared laughs, cries, and created so many memories during our time in Natchez. I created a bond so strong that I will carry throughout the rest of my time here at Agnes. I would recommend this experience to anyone and can't wait to do it again, next year.
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| "There is always excitement in Atlanta," said Jasmine Howard (class of 2016). |
I spent my Spring Break in Decatur, right at Agnes Scott! It wasn't lonely if that's what you are thinking. Yes, I spent a lot of quality time with, well, myself, and it was great! I watched movies every night with yummy snacks, and got a lot of rest, which was exactly what I needed in the middle of such a busy semester. My good friend Cara lives in Decatur, and we had a lot of fun together, grabbing bites to eat and going out on adventures. Toward the end of Spring Break we even went to a concert of Broken Bells (an indie hip-hop band) and they were amazing. So, even if you can't get out of Georgia for your Spring Break, there is always excitement in Atlanta! What can I say? Getting rest and going to adventures is best of both worlds!
Now, that the Spring Break is over, the Scotties are back to their busy school schedules. We have only six weeks left until the summer and another set of exciting experiences. I personally look so much forward to Orientation for the class of 2018 when I'll finally get to welcome all the new Scotties to our community. I wish you a lot of patience in awaiting the acceptance decision as well as courage to make your final choice. Let me know if I can help you in any way. As always, my e-mail is globaladmission@agnesscott.edu. Lastly, check out the blog in a couple of weeks to find tips on how to "pack your life" in a suitcase when getting ready for college.
Karolina Klimczak '16
Office of Admission International Fellow
141 E. College Ave
Decatur GA 30030
globaladmission@agnesscott.edu
