College! from Sabrina

Hi everyone!

David-I'm really glad you like school, it sounds amazing! I've seen Kevin a couple times here, as well as some other people from your grade that I had no idea even went here. They seem to be doing well. Anyways, school is going well for me. I'm taking five classes as of now-Geology, Photo, Peace and Justice, Early English Lit, and a weird class called Active Citizenship that has to do with race in America and focuses on Asian Americans in particular. Its a year long course that includes an internship working in Chinatown. I like all of my classes a lot and they are all getting really interesting, I'm just worried I won't be able to keep up once the real work starts. I had my first field trip for Geology last week and we went hiking through the woods. This week we're visiting the Marblehead beaches.

I've also been trying to get more involved on campus this year, and I just found out that I got into two programs I applied to.

NSP, or National Student Partnerships, is a student-run organization with offices across the country. They have one office in Somerville that works with people in the social services system from the area and volunteers from Tufts. I'll be going into the office for two hours a week and meeting with "clients" about finding their homes, helping them with their taxes, getting food stamps, gaining citizenship, registering to vote, etc. I'll know more about it after this week since I have my first office visit and a retreat (at a girl's house in Wellesley!) on Friday and Saturday.

I also got into PHE, or Peer Health Exchange, as a "Health educator." I have my first training session this Wednesday for two hours in the evening. I will be learning how to teach a health workshop in one area, mine is alcohol, and then teaching it in Boston Public schools and other surrounding areas where the schools don't have health class.

I was also interested in a couple other volunteer programs, including one I did last year, CRJ, mentoring boys in group homes in Somerville and maybe volunteering at the Biys and Girls club in Somerville, but I think that I'm going to have to put those other things on hold and see how this goes...both are about a six hour commitment each week.

I'm really excited about everything and I'm glad I'm going to be busy, because I feel like I'm more productive when I'm busy, I just hope I haven't gotten in over my head.

In other areas of my life, I love my living situation, I love having a car, and homecoming is this Saturday. The weather has been really variable, but I can't complain too much. Its getting cold though! I might just have to make a Cali visit sooner than expected....Mom and Dad-I haven't seen Peter yet, but when I do, I'll be sure to ask him about his life.


Hope everyone is doing well, miss you guys!!!

xoxo

Sabs