Fall Term Is Ending!

It's crazy to think I am just a few short weeks, two to be exact, from finishing my final fall term at Mercyhurst University. Some of my best friends and I were on Homecoming Court which was a really great opportunity to partake in. In addition, I was able to present one of the Senior Class Gift ideas to the President of Mercyhurst, which again was really amazing. Senior year brings in change, but wonderful opportunities and adventures also drift in with the tides of change.


I am ready to end the term though, and finish-up all of the class work that is going on, because I have exciting plans for Thanksgiving Break. My friend Rhona is from Dublin, Ireland, and I will be traveling to her house for Thanksgiving...even though the Irish do not celebrate the holiday! I have been to Ireland once before, but I am really happy to be going back. We will also be accompanied by our friend Alyssa. It is a good group going and we should have a really great time. The really exciting thing about this trip is that we get to stay with Rhona's family the whole time. I have met her family once before, but I am even more excited to get to know them better!

If going to Ireland for Thanksgiving wasn't exciting enough, our adventure does not stop there! We are also spending four days in London! We are technically flying on Thanksgiving....which will be a bit weird, but I think it will be cool to not experience an American tradition for once, and see how the rest of the world goes on without celebrating it. We did talk about Alyssa and I cooking a "Thanksgiving Dinner" for everyone, but we will just have to see if that happens.

One of the days that we are in London, I will actually be taking a day trip to visit my possible graduate school in Newcastle, England. The flight is only about an hour and ten minutes, and I will only be gone for the day. I am happy to have the opportunity to visit the school. Many students who study abroad rarely get the chance to visit the school beforehand. Although my future decision are still up in the air, I am hoping that by visiting Newcastle I will have more of an idea of what I want to do with my future.


Well, that's all for now. I will make sure to fill you in on everything that happened on our trip, and of course I will upload tons of pictures!

Carpe Diem Everyday!
Jeremy

Christmas: Mercyhurst Style!

Me and My Roommates (Eric, Andrew, and Joe)

Me and Rhona B. 

It's Christmas time at the 'Hurst that is for sure, and one thing that my group of friends and I do that has become a holiday tradition is our annual Christmas party. Last year we starting doing a gift exchange with our group of friends and yesterday was the day the dinner and gift give-a-way took place! All of us dressed up semi-formal for dinner at a local favorite "The Brewerie".

Aldyn S. and Me

In total, there were 16 of us decked-out in our holiday best! We had dinner and then quickly drove back to my apartment for the gift exchange! Today was also the first really good snowfall of the season, so it was a perfect night for a holiday party. We came back and began opening gifts. I was very happy to see that my secret Santa bought me a new pair of slippers which will totally come in handy during the cold nights in Erie! Everyone had a great night and we celebrated with pictures, cookies, and a movie! The saying is really true, "the friends you make in college you will have for a lifetime". I know that these friends are my best friends. We are crazy and funny and I would not change them for anything!

Mr. and Mrs Santa Claus!

The second part of Christmas cheer that happened this weekend actually just happened today! I was asked with one of my good friends Meghan H. to dress up and play Santa and Mrs. Claus for our annual Christmas on Campus at Mercyhurst College. More than 100 local children were treated to milk and cookies, games, crafts, storytelling, and of course a visit from Mr. and Mrs Claus! Meghan and I had such a wonderful time playing the part of the jolly couple, and I am very happy that we could bring some holiday spirit and Christmas cheer to some children that may night have had the chance to go and meet Santa and Mrs. Claus. I hope that I did a good enough job to play Santa next year, we will see! So what do you all think, did we make a convincing Mr. and Mrs. Claus?
Throughout this Christmas Season, just remember to Carpe Diem, no matter how you do it!


~Jeremy