“No Down Time Tuesday”

8:30 Wake up
9:00-9:50 Read for my class
*These readings for Drugs and the Brain (D&B) class are HARD! Good thing I have some experience reading scientific journals and am able to kind of cut away the information that I don’t know. Thanks Harvard for preparing me for this!
9:50 Leave for my 10:25 class because I am nervous for being on time
10:25-11:40 Seminar for D&B
*The seminar was very similar to classes that I’ve had at Harvard with a discussion of the papers we read, the methodological flaws of the studies and the future questions and implications. I felt the same pressure I feel at school to speak in class. I thought I was getting away from that!!
11:50-1:05 First session of Spirit and Matter (Drawing)
*There were only three of us in the first session because there is option for which class to attend—(although Thomas, our professor changed it to 3 1 hour 15 minute sessions!!!) I’m still not quite sure what to think of Thomas but he has made it clear that he hates all technology and has no computer or cell phone. He introduced himself as being “very irresponsible.” It was one of the most interesting conversations I’ve had in discussing the purpose of the class.
Key Points: Art is not about technique and realistic portrayals but about leaving a part of yourself on the paper. It is not about pleasing others, but about drawing really what you see. It is less about your ability to draw and more about your ability to see. I really struggled at first, resorting to almost line drawings of a vase, and it was clear that I have a long way to go. Thomas is somewhat intimidating because he is so theoretical and deep, and oftentimes the class will be completely silent for as much as 30 seconds at a time! It is definitely uncomfortable, and I think that definitely at the beginning, people are shy about sharing.
1:05-2 Lunch
*Meg and I met another girl in our drawing class and ate with her. She goes to Yale so it was interesting to hear about her life there.
2:05-4:45 Two block sessions of Spirit and Matter
*Again, really intense session where we had lots of deep conversations and got to draw again. We had to draw the same stupid vase again and I was really getting sick of it. I didn’t really know what to do or what would get good comments or bad comments from the professor. This seems like it is going to end up being the hardest class!
4:45-6:00 Chill and get ready for the formal hal
6:30-9:30 Formal Hall
*Ken, Duc, Caitlin, Ben, Meg and I all sat together at the formal dining hall event and had the best time. We played some games while we were sitting and just had the best conversations. It was such a blast and the food was amazing. It was a very long dinner but it didn’t seem that long since I was in such great company.
9:30-12:00 Hit the town…again
*Not much was going on again tonight, so we hung out in Caitlin’s room for a while, and then went back to the Eagle. Going out here seems to be a much more social event in the sense that you go out with people that you already know and get to sit and talk. It’s really fun!

June 29