Labor Day Weekend- Part I

Hi Everyone!

Jason Mraz is in the white!

So these past 48 hours have been very eventful... no wonder they call New York City "the city that never sleeps!"Friday morning, around 4:30AM, my roommates and I left our apartment to stand in line for The TODAY Show to see Jason Mraz perform live... since none of us have Friday classes, it worked out great!  

In true TODAY Show style fashion, we made sure to have flashy signs in an attempt to make it on TV.  Sure enough, my mom and friend who were watching for me, said she saw me!

"Live from New York... Al Roker!"

Not only was Jason Mraz's performance amazing, but Christina Perri also performed who was also great.  We even got to see Al Roker... he was literally feet away from us!  All in all, it was a very successful morning, and by 11:00 AM when we got back to our apartment, we all went back to bed for a nap!

Greetings from Manhattan!

Hi Everyone!

Fashion Ave

So I guess it's official... I'm a Manhattanite!  As I've mentioned in previous blogs, my senior year will be spent in New York City, while I'll be attending the Fashion Institute of Technology as a visiting student.  It's strange that I won't be heading back to the 'Hurst for my final year, but so far New York has been treating me very well.

View from my bedroom

Here are some pictures of my on-campus suite... myself and three other girls from Mercyhurst are all living together on the 11th floor.  We try to take the 11 flights of stairs as much as possible, but it's already getting pretty old!  Stairs or not, the view from our bedroom is priceless.  In addition to the bedrooms, our suite also has a bathroom and a kitchenette... definitely on the smaller side, but functional for   sure!

My Roommates and I

Yesterday, my roommates and I did some sight-seeing and visited Times Square, Central Park, Rockefeller Center, and 5th Avenue.  During our day of exploring, we saw Wendy Williams (hopefully just one of many celebrity spottings!), the original Tiffany and Co from Breakfast at Tiffany's, The Boat House from 27 Dresses, and Bryant Park, the location where Fashion Week used to be held.  We also ate lunch on a rock in Central Park... probably one of my favorite memories thus far b/c it felt "so New York." =)

Stay tuned for more of my New York adventures... until then!

Aideu for Now

Hi Everyone!

It's hard to believe that a week from today, I will have officially completed my junior (and last!) year at Mercyhurst!  Things are starting to wrap up here, which is why this will be my last blog post, but here are some fun end of the year activities I have participated in the past few days:

Literally speechless!

On Sunday, my friends surprised me with a going away party since I'll be in New York City.  I literally shrieked with my friends took off my blindfold (after walking up 3 flights of stairs in wedges without vision!) and I saw what they had waiting for me. 

What great friends I have!

The theme of the party was "Sarah and the City," a spin-off of "Sex and the City," my favorite tv series which is located in my new, future home: the Big Apple!  People aren't kidding when they say the best friends you meet are in college! =)

I met Heather when I was a prospective student!

Last night, I was also lucky enough to spend some quality time with some of my favorite fashionistas.  Our department chair planned a Senior Soiree for all of the graduating seniors and FIT girls to attend at the Sheridan hotel.  Not only was there a delicious dinner, but there was a "Guess the Baby" board with all of us on it, senior superlatives (I won "Most likely to question a point deduction on an assignment"), and a small going away gift for all of the girls leaving.  We all had such a great time and it made me realize how lucky I am to have such an amazing department!

Just today, one of my senior friends and I had the chance to meet a freshman who was participating in a university photo shoot.  Immediately when I learned he was a freshman, I asked him how his first year was and not to my surprise at all, he told me how great it was.  My senior friend and I both gave him the advice to not waste a second of his undergrad experience.  With that being said, regardless of where you end up, remember to make the best of your undergrad experience; it truly is some of the best years of your life!

Good luck on finals, have a great summer, and see you in the fall-- this time, in NYC!

Masquerades and (More!) Fiestas

Hi Everyone!

As I'm uploading pictures onto my camera from this past week, I realize what a great few days it has been!  I can't believe this coming week is the last week of classes (eek!!!) but I'm happy to say that I've definitely been making the most out of these days having fun, while still managing to get some work done.

Finale Outfit

On Thursday, the Fashion Promotion class put on a fashion show that I was asked to model in.  In this class, the girls spend ten weeks planning a fashion show that they ultimately get graded on, that students, faculty members, and families come to watch in the Student Union.  This year, the show was masquerade-themed, so a ton of masks were made for the models to wear.  As for my outfits, I had one daytime outfit, and two evening outfits... here's a picture of me modeling a little black dress!

This weekend was also Spring Fest, which is the largest event that MSG and SAC puts on for the year.  This year's, Spring Fest was fiesta-themed, since Saturday was Cinco de Mayo.

MSG, SAC, and Sean Kingston!

On Friday night, Sean Kingston, Industrial Rhythm (a group kind of like Stomp and the Blue Man Group) and Mercyhurst's very own DJ B-Lang all entertained us with a night full of music and fun in the athletic center.

Italian Ice, anyone?!

Then on Saturday afternoon, there was food, inflatables, and other fun novelties for students to enjoy outside.  For a portion of the day, two of my friends and I scooped and handed out Rita's Italian Ice... my favorite was the Key Lime Italian Ice, yum!

Here's to not counting time and making time count! =)

Service Learning Fiesta

Hi Everyone,

Some of our fiesta decorations

This past Wednesday, some classmates from my Liberation Religion and Society class and I went to a homeless shelter in Erie, PA to cook a fiesta dinner.  As a class requirement, our teacher asked that we plan a dinner, cook it, and then interact with some of the less fortunate in our city in an attempt to understand what it's like to be in their situation. 

The kitchen was HUGE!

Mercyhurst prides itself with its' hands on learning, and I couldn't think of a better way to learn about the oppressed and marginalized, than to actually spend some time with these individuals.  We arrived at the shelter at 3:30 p.m. and were there until 6:30 p.m.-- boy, was everyone gracious!  There were about 40 different people who ate our taco dinner who were all so appreciative of the 3 hours we took out of our day to spend time with them.

The table was empty by the time we left!

In addition to the fiesta dinner, my classmates and I also purchased some basic necessities, such as toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, and others things, for our guests to take with them.  Among many other things, this trip taught me how even the smallest deeds can have the biggest impacts-- what a great lesson to learn as the days before I leave campus quickly approach!

Presque Isle Beach Trips

Hi Everyone!

Presque Isle Pic- Junior Year, 2012

Presque Isle is probably one of my favorite places to go in Erie.  Not only is it free, but a trip to the beach with your friends, while enjoying the sunshine is always a great time.

Beach trips always end @ Sara's

Immediately when I saw how gorgeous Friday evening was supposed to be, I sent out a mass text to my friends and planned a Friday evening beach outing.  Our evening consisted of playing SPUD (a childhood game we all somehow remembered how to play!), volleyball, and of course, a trip to Sara's, which is this awesome diner that has delicious milkshakes and ice cream.

All in all, it was a really great day and it reminded me of all of the other beach trips my friends and I have had since freshman year.  Here are some additional pics from past beach trips that my friends and I have taken over the years-- enjoy!

Beach Volleyball- Freshman Year, 2010

Presque Isle Fun- Sophomore Year, 2010

Paddleboarding- Summer 2011

Senior Year in NYC

Hi Everyone!

So while all of my peers are starting to get their acceptance letters for grad school, I received an acceptance letter a few weeks ago for another type of program.  As I've mentioned in the past, I've been hoping to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC as a visiting student and I finally received my acceptance letter, yay!  Although I am extremely excited to be spending a year in one of my favorite cities, it will definitely be bittersweet leaving Mercyhurst and all of my friends.

Mercyhurst green space

FIT concrete jungle

With that being said, you don't need to be a fashion major in order to take advantage of other great opportunities to study at different campuses.  Mercyhurst just announced the official opening of an international center in Dungarvan, Ireland, where quite a few of my friends are studying now.  There are also a tremendous amount of study abroad programs where you can immerse yourself in a completely different cultural setting.

My senior year in NYC will definitely be a huge culture shock and far from the campus I have grown to love at Mercyhurst.  However, I look forward to all of the great experiences and potential internship/career opportunities the Big Apple has to offer. =)  BTW, I plan to keep up with my blog next year so hopefully you'll continue to follow me and my adventures in NY!