Week 6
Dear Family
Well, I’ve taken most of my midterms. I feel like I’ve come through with an entirely different perspective on life. Most importantly, I’ve discovered that I have very unique study habits. Apparently, it isn’t normal to have intensive study sessions in which no cell phones, no food, and no distractions are allowed. My friends gave me quite interesting looks when I informed them that phones actually belonged outside the door. Oh well. Cell phone depravation builds character.
As of yet, I haven’t received all my midterm grades yet. I’m sure you’ll know when I begin calling home in tears. In better news, however, fall break was the very thing my sanity needed. Of course, it would have been nice to come home to all of you, but my break was quite wonderful. Fall is my favorite season, you know.
My sight is now set on Parents Weekend. I hope you don’t mind that I have a list of groceries for when you come. Of course, these desires are completely separate from my excitement over seeing you. That list is getting rather long, though. Oh! I am so glad you get to meet all of my professors. They’re all great. I have a feeling you’ll like all of them too.
Ah, Hillsdale. Maybe this whole post-mid-term-panic thing hasn’t hit me yet. I still love the school with all of my heart. Perhaps I’ll have to re-evaluate come finals.
In the meantime, I’m off to work on that grocery list. Oh, and homework of course…
Week 7:
This article was never printed do to a sad set of mistakes and miscommunications. But, for some form of posterity, I suppose I shall include it here.
Dear Family,
It was great to see you over Parents Weekend. Really. But I must say that the festivities of the week make studying rather difficult. How is it that the positive influence of parents can enable such procrastination?
Fall continues to be a great season on campus. There’s something so delightful in swirling leaves and crisp air. Somehow, fresh air and crispness make you feel like you’re able to conquer the world. Pre-registration really shouldn’t coincide with such a blissful feeling of capability. Long lists of courses accompanied by autumnal excitement are a lethal combination. Thank goodness there is a twenty credit hour limit. Without it, I fear my eager eyes would fill every minute of the day with new opportunities.
Speaking of eager eyes, I’ve already started thinking about opportunities for this summer. See, Hillsdale professors are always talking about great works of art, literature, history, etc. I feel like summer time should be a great work of adventures. What are your thoughts on a world tour? There are so many exciting sites to see. I really feel like it would be a supplement to my liberal arts education. Besides, I can always get a job and earn necessary things like money later. Right?
Well, I’m off to put a firm end to that procrastination. Now that you’ve met and learned to love all of my professors, I’ll need to work even harder to garner the most from their classes. After all, my opinion of their greatness has been confirmed by outside sources. Ah well. Such is the dilemma of a Hillsdale student.
Week 8
Dear Family,
I can hardly believe that there are only a few weeks left until Thanksgiving! The semester has gone by so quickly. Still, with the amount I’m learning, high school seems a thousand years ago.
To allay any fears that I’m growing up too quickly, though, I have a few anecdotes of my foolishness. In between studying this week, I’ve been prepping happily for Halloween (you’re never too old to dress up). My costume probably takes the cake for authenticity, thanks to my lovely friends. I’ve also been craving all of my favorite childhood books. Would you please send me a care package of The Little Princess, my illustrated retelling of Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Little Women, The Secret Garden, The Little House books….Actually, can you send my entire library? I’m sure the postage will only set you back a few thousand dollars.
Of course, I’ll have no time to read these delights. But I’d like to have my old friends around me again. Even if I can’t curl up in a chair and read them, I can sit upright at my desk studying Medieval Church doctrine and pretend that it’s light fiction. I think this will take quite an exercise of the mind, but perhaps I will learn to love the deep reading as much as the more frivolous matter. I am a Hillsdalian, after all.
If you don’t mind, I shall conclude this letter with a few more requests. Really, I don’t just have things to beg from you. Wistfulness just seems to govern me today. For Thanksgiving, would it be too much trouble to ask for you to triple the amount of food? I’m already preparing my appetite for such delights as real mashed potatoes, home-made pumpkin pie, and scrumptious fresh baked bread. Mmm. I can almost taste it already. Maybe you should quadruple the amount of food. Off to refocus my mind on higher matters!
Week 9
Technically, this won't be published until Thursday. But knowing my track record, it wouldn't get up here for several weeks. So, here is a sneak peak at this weeks article:
Dear Family,
I’ve been rather contemplative of late. Perhaps it’s the season, or perhaps it is the flutter of making sure next semester’s schedule is in order. Have no fear; I made it into all the classes I wanted. Thoughts about the future, though, have made me think of how comparatively little time I have here. I only have three and a half years left, practically. That’s barely any time in one’s life. And then—gulp—the real world awaits.
I’ve decided to make a resolve to throw myself into things even more wholeheartedly. I’ve been attentive in my studies, but I’ve realized that the greatness of Hillsdale won’t last forever. My interest in my classes shall turn to fervor, if my resolution is solid. Truly, I’m incredibly blessed to be taking these wonderful classes, to be surrounded by these incredible students, and have access to the brilliance of my professors. What a wonder!
To make room for all this new fervor, I’ve decided to utilize the walking time between classes to extrapolate on my education. Whether this means humming orchestra tunes under my breath, reciting German vocabulary under my breath, or memorizing dates, I shall do it. I suppose this will garner a few strange looks. Ah well, perhaps it will gain me an audience. It’s only considered the crazed kind of talking to yourself if you’re speaking nonsense, right?
A final note before I embark on the adventure: I miss you. I know, I know, I told you repeatedly that there would be no homesickness. I recant! I’m not even angling for good food this time! However, if you did want to assuage this sorrow, well, I wouldn’t be adverse to a care package…
Off to re-immerse myself in the thrills of Hillsdale!
All my love,
Leah
