Midterms!

Midterms have taken hold of the Vassar campus... The usual hustle and bustle of the College has given way to the quiet noise of flipping textbook pages and rapidly typing fingers. The Library is overrun with students, busily writing and researching.

Right now, I'm studying for my Medieval Architecture midterm exam. The class is one of my favorites this semester. Our professor, Andrew Tallon, is one of the most dynamic teachers I've had during my Vassar career. He constructs 3D digital models of each building we study, and the class 'flies' through to view details of architectural features. While some architecture classes only show black-and-white plans of buildings, this class incorporates full color images, movies, and music to get the 'full' experience of an architectural space. For a tech geek like me, I love the use of technology in the classroom. Now it's just a matter of learning about Medieval monastic culture and Carolingian political life... Once this midterm is over, I'll begin working on other assignments due after October Break.

Which reminds me: only three days until Break!

Pete Seeger!

Vassar attracts incredible performers, speakers and intellectuals. This weekend was no exception. Legendary singer Pete Seeger—leader of the American folk music revival and key player of the Civil Rights Movement—performed yesterday at Vassar. The concert was indescribable. The entire Vassar community sat around our beautiful College Chapel and sang along. Seeger has written some of the most well-known songs of the 1950s and 60s, including "If I Had a Hammer" and "Turn Turn Turn." He's also famous for his children's music, which he performed with his usual joyful energy.

Seeger, who has lived his life in the Hudson Valley, was here to celebrate our art museum's newest exhibit, Drawn By New York from the New York Historical Society. The weekend was incredible, and I am about to download some Pete Seeger on iTunes.