Jon Stewart Mentions Vassar on The Daily Show

This week, Jon Stewart and the writers from The Daily Show did a book signing at the Barnes & Noble in Union Square. I ran over right after my classes at Cardozo and met up with a Vassar friend from the Class of 2010, Emily Leimkuhler (who's working at the Barnes & Noble corporate office) . The place was packed. Hundreds of fans were there to get their books signed and hear from one of America's most famed cultural critics. I had a different goal. My friend and I plotted on how to convince him to mention our beloved college on the show.

As he signed my book, I told him that if he mentioned Vassar, we would attend his Rally To Restore Sanity -- and stop following Stephen Colbert's March to Keep Fear Alive on Twitter. I think the second promise caught his attention. I passed him a letter (left) to the same effect. Jon and the writers may have laughed at our intense Vassar pride, but they kept up their end of the bargain! At the beginning of last night's show, Jon began: "My guest tonight, a professor at Vassar... no, it's Arianna Huffington, editor in chief of The Huffington Post!" Well done, Mr. Stewart. Check it out:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Los Angeles Heat Wave
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Rally to Restore Sanity

Law School...

I'm excited to say that after Vassar, I'll be attending Cardozo School of Law. Located in Greenwich Village just blocks from Union Square, I'll finally be back in my hometown of New York City! Cardozo is nationally known for its programs in alternative dispute resolution and intellectual property law. I'm especially interested in studying intellectual property law after taking a class on the subject last year in Vassar's Political Science Department. (The class was taught by Michael Bennett, who studies the intersection of nanotechnology and the law). Professor Bennett really inspired us to think critically about very difficult issues, ranging from fair use to gene patenting to the very notion of "owning" an idea. That course hooked me on these issues, and I'm thrilled to have the chance to study them in depth at Cardozo.

The thought of leaving Vassar certainly isn't easy for me. I love this place, and it's difficult to imagine leaving my beloved History Department, my housemates, or my work on the VSA. But I know that I'm prepared and excited for the challenges ahead!

Graduation is just a week away, and I'll be sure to update you on all the Senior Week happenings. Remember: E-mail any prospective student questions to brfarkas@vassar.edu.

Quite the Weekend

Last weekend was an odd mixture of panic and fun.

My history thesis was due on Monday afternoon. The History Department, like many departments, requires a lengthy senior thesis as the culminating project for majors. My topic is on the arguments against sanitary reform in Victorian London. (The topic is way more interesting than it sounds, I promise!). The thesis is quite the project, involving more than a year of writing and research under the close supervision of a member of the Department. But after much stress, and many rewrites, it's finally complete! Definitely a weight off my shoulders.

Now for the fun part. Vassar hosted The Flaming Lips, the world-renowned band! The place was packed with about 3500 people—students, faculty, administrators, and Poughkeepsie residents. There was even a group of prospective students!

I went to the concert with the VSA Executive Board, stopping first at one of our favorite Chinese places downtown. After spending a year with these five incredible student leaders, I realize how much I'm going to miss them. As we ordered every spicy chicken dish on the menu, we looked around and realized how close graduation really was... More on my nostalgia in future posts!

Anyway, when we got to the concert, we met up with Ruby Cramer, the Editor in Chief of The Miscellany News (Vassar's student newspaper since 1866). Ruby and I have been close friends for nearly two years; she was Features Editor while I was Editor in Chief last year. She's absolutely brilliant—one of the most articulate writers, strategic thinkers, and accomplished people you can imagine. She knows how to get from Point A to Point Z. She's the quintessential New Yorker, and exactly the type of personality Vassar strives to graduate. It's a weird feeling, but I know deep down that the two of us will remain close for the rest of our lives.

And so, a typical Vassar weekend. A mix of hardcore academics, Library emersion, famous performers, and lifelong friends. For seniors, all of those events are mixed with a twist of nostalgia, a hint of loss, and a healthy dose of excitement for what's to come.

Healthy in Mind and Body... Apparently

I promised my friend Caitlin Ly that I would craft a post around this hastily-taken iPhone picture of me. Ugh! The two of us went to the Fitness Center for a fun afternoon of ellipticals and bikes and stretches. As a varsity athlete three times over (volleyball, rowing, and squash), Caitlin adapts more easily to the gym than I do. Not exactly my home away from home. But many students do take daily walks up to the Fitness Center, which is located right next to the Terrace Apartments (one of the largest dorm areas for seniors). Caitlin promised to drag me there more often in the coming weeks, so perhaps I should just bring my iPod and get used to it...

Final Exam Season

Two exams in the next two days! Oh dear... Like most Vassar students, I'll be burrowing in the snow-covered Library for the foreseeable future.

And then once those exams are complete, I'll finish up my Constitutional Theory term paper on recent affirmative action cases involving undergraduate admissions offices. My teacher is Luke Charles Harris, a brilliant professor who is also the founder of the African American Policy Forum, a leading national think tank.

And after that, just some remaining student government work, some dorm cleaning, and then... freedom! Winter Break is almost here...

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!

Cambridge University

Greetings from Cambridge University! This summer, I made the leap from VC to the UK, studying British history at one of the world's oldest universities.

Although I miss my one true love — Vassar — it's so interesting to see how another school operates. Cambridge is celebrating it's 800th birthday in 2009. Hard to imagine that a single institution has survived and thrived for nearly a millennium. Walking around the campus, it's easy to see and feel that age. There is history everywhere. Across the street from one of my friend's dormitory is the first English church to break away from Catholicism and embrace Protestantism in the early 16th century. To the left of my other friend's dormitory is Charles Darwin's old apartment from when he was a Cambridge student. In the center of town is The Eagle, a small English pub where students drafted into the War in the 1940s would inscribe their names onto the wall. It's hard to take a walk through the quaint college town of Cambridge without finding some sort of national landmark or historic site. For a nerdy history major like me, it's hard to imagine a better place to spend the summer!

The experience of studying abroad is incredible, and certainly one I would recommend to incoming students. Because of my role as Editor of The Miscellany News this past year, I wasn't able to spend a semester of the academic year abroad. Thankfully, our International Programs Office gave me some excellent advice on places to study for the summer. For more information on Vassar's support for international programs, check out the study abroad Web site. Vassar students literally study across the globe, from Europe to Latin America to Sub-Saharan Africa. The College has a great support network of staff and alumnae/i to help ease any culture shock and give you a taste of home.

Cambridge!

I just found out that I was accepted to a wonderful summer program at Cambridge University! I'm really excited. The program allows me to study British legal history, along with other British history and political science courses. I'll work closely with a handful of professors (and British students!) and be able to do lots of independent research.

Research in the Cambridge library? A dream come true...

I'm still figuring out my thesis topic for next year. All history majors produce a lengthy senior thesis—a sort of capstone to each student's research experience at Vassar. Perhaps I'll find a topic this summer, buried in some ancient British library. Nothing like digging through ancient archives to put a smile on a history major's face!

Spring 2009 Schedule... At Long Last

As I mentioned two posts ago, I absolutely love shopping period. Students add and drop classes like mad, finding their absolute favorite teachers and subjects to fit into their schedules. I think I probably take longer than most to determine my roster of courses; I've been at it for about two weeks. But finally, after much switching, I've settled on a really engaging set of classes:

(Art History) Architecture After Modernism: This course focuses on urban architecture in the period after 1920. I took AP Art History in high school, which covered some architecture, but it looked mostly at the history of painting and sculpture. I've always wanted to go back and spend some more time learning about the development of modern cities—especially since I'm from Manhattan. The professor is a professional architect from New York, which adds a level of practicality to the lectures and discussions.

(History/Urban Studies) The American Century, 1890-1945: Speaking of cities, this History course is cross-listed with Urban Studies, a multidisciplinary program at Vassar that looks at the rise and design of cities. In the first few weeks of classes, we've been looking at immigration patterns into New York and Chicago at the turn of the century. Professor Miriam Cohen teaches this class; she seems amazing at guiding discussions and balancing students' different points of view.

(History) Cold War America: Professor Bob Brigham is something of a legend in the History Department. He's one of those teachers everyone talks about and wants to take a course with. He specializes in post-WWII America, and is an expert on Vietnam. His recent book Is Iraq another Vietnam? was acclaimed by the media. And he's frequently on TV and radio, talking about the similarities between the conflict of the 1950s and current American presence in the Middle East. So far, this class is wonderful. High school curricula pretty much ignore events after 1945. All three of my AP history courses (American, World, and European) barely mentioned the Cold War except in passing during a single week in June. Whenever I leave this course at Vassar, I feel like I've learned so much that I really should have known before.

(Political Science) Democratic Theory: Looking at political theory from the 'margins' of modern political thought, this class introduces some interesting authors and follows their views of democracy. This week, we're reading the poet Walt Whitman. We will also look at authors like James Baldwin, who tried to balance democracy with racial injustice. So far, the class looks really interesting.

(Political Science/Science, Technology and Society) Intellectual Property Law: For those bound for law school, Vassar offers a number of excellent preparatory courses. Constitutional Law (Political Science), Law and Economics (Economics), Environmental Law (Environmental Studies), and Sociology and Law in Society (Sociology), to name a few, all introduce students to the basic ideas and debates that will follow them throughout their legal education. Intellectual Property Law (Political Science) is another such example. The class covers the law of patents, copyrights and trademarks. Our professor, Michael Bennett, is incredible -- he has experience in physics, biotechnology, and science, technology and society. He even has a law degree from Harvard. On top of his teaching, he consults on issues of intellectual property law, which means that he is fully aware of the ongoing debates and issues in the field.

My Twenty-First!

Sunday was my 21st birthday! I know what you're thinking—Sunday is a pretty awful day to have a 21st birthday party. I had classes the next morning, and two papers due that week. Fortunately, my friends made it a day to remember... About two years ago when we were freshmen, my closest group of friends promised that they would take me out for my first legal drink, since I would be the first among us to turn 21. But in return, they made me promise to choose a special drink - something festive.

Sure enough, I ended up getting a delicious piña colada from UNOs Chicago Grill, a great restaurant within walking distance of Vassar. We got some festive appetizers and some more delicious drinks, and had a grand old time. It might have been more fun if my birthday had been on a Friday or Saturday night, but I'll take what I can get!

Final Exam Season

Remember how stressed I was about midterms? Multiply that by five. Vassar is a wonderful place, but the academic work is not for the faint of heart. I have more research papers than I can count due within the next few weeks. At the moment, it's about 6:30 in the morning and I'm getting all my books together to head over to the library, which opens at 8:30.

Today, my project is a research paper on an American businessman in Japan... I figure if I get there at 8:30, I could get a ton of writing and reading done, then leave the library in time to see my friends for dinner and hang out with them in the evening. Maybe even watch a movie? The last few weeks of a semester always bring a tornado of work. Let's hope I make it...

Midterms

Hard to believe we're already approaching the half-way point of the fall semester. On the bright side, that means bright crimson, orange, and golden leaves falling from Vassar's countless trees. On the not-so-bright side, that means papers, exams and stacks of reading. Midterm season is here in full force.

Unlike in high school, where work was evenly distributed over the course of the term, college students tend to have most of their work clumped in the middle and at the end of each semester. Right now, I'm up to my ears in work: 3 papers due this week alone, in addition to a political science midterm exam. Next week, I have four more papers, and a research proposal due. Ack!

And so I'm stuck in the library, unable to frolic through those falling leaves. Oh well. Thankfully, most of my work is pretty interesting. For example, today I'm working on a paper about a British woman named Harriet Tytler, who lived in India during the mid-19th century. She was the only woman to witness the 1857 Siege of Delhi. She was able to see first-hand the anger and resentment of Indian peoples against the British East India Company. Certainly good reading for a nerdy history major!

Course Selection

My favorite time of any semester at Vassar is the first two weeks. This time, known as "Add/Drop" period, is when students can attend as many classes as they like and 'experiment' before settling down into a final schedule. No one takes advantage of this shopping period more than I do. In the past two weeks, I have visited more than 25 different classes, even though I knew I would only end up taking four or five. Some of my friends think I am little nuts for voluntarily sitting through so many seminars and lectures for two weeks, hour after hour, even for courses that I likely would never take.

So why do I do this? Why do I enjoy Add/Drop period so much? Going to those classes, even the ones that I know I will never take, I get dozens of perspectives on learning at Vassar. I get to see dozens of teachers in action. I get to see what goes on in a geography class, a classics class, a psychology class—even though my primary areas of studies are totally removed from these disciplines. Professors almost always distribute their syllabi on the first day, which means I get a free window onto entire courses that I would otherwise never see. In my room, I have a drawer full of syllabi, all from classes that I never have (and probably never will) take. But if I ever wanted to learn about Developmental Psychology or Dostoyevsky, I now have comprehensive lists of books and readings.

I'm not a very adventurous person when it comes to course selection. I know exactly the types of professors that I like and exactly the types of books I like to learn from. Many people are far riskier than I when it comes to course selection (one friend is taking a class on Creole Religions; another is taking a course on nanotechnology). I tend to stick to my favorite departments—history, political science and economics. But that doesn't mean that I'm not curious. At Vassar, students routinely audit courses without being enrolled in them. In other words, you are able to hear the lectures, do the readings and participate in the discussions, and not have to worry about stress and grades. Having the flexibility to fine-tune my course list really makes for an excellent semester. And this semester is no different. After much adding and dropping and experimenting, I enrolled in courses on Tokugawa Japan, Childhood in Modern England, the British Empire, the American Presidency, and Charles Dickens.

And now, I had better return to all of the homework I have for those classes...

Coming Home to Vassar, and to a new homepage, www.miscellanynews.com

As I unloaded my car this year, I felt a twinge of deja vu. This was not the first, not the second, but the third time that I would be making those multiple voyages between the back of my trunk and my cozy Cushing room. I first moved into Cushing House as a freshman, and continue to live there now. But as I unloaded the boxes and bins, pillows and suitcases, clothing and computer equipment, a small feeling of sadness hit me; I don't have that many 'unloadings' left. College is a funny thing; you obsess about it throughout high school, you get there, and before you know it, you're half-way through. So, in the short span of being in school, it is important to make your mark on the institution.

Along with my fellow editors, that is exactly what we plan to do with the Miscellany News. This year will boast a number of major changes to the paper. Perhaps the most notable is our online presence:
www.miscellanynews.com — Over the summer, I pushed a major overhaul of our Web site. While our old site was clunky and outdated, our new site is sleek, user-friendly and flexible. Photos and articles can be quickly rearranged depending on the news of the day. For example, we were able to post our coverage of Fall Convocation within an hour, and soon afterwards posted a gallery of photos from the event. Very cool, considering last year, that same coverage would have taken a week to get into our print edition. The Miscellany can now be as flexible as a blog, as timely as a daily paper, but as creative as a weekly publication. This online overhaul has been incredibly difficult, but once we see it through, I believe it will revolutionize news at Vassar—and revitalize our almost 150-year-old publication.

Hopefully, my fellow editors and I will also have time to be students this semester. My full course roster is not yet decided. Thankfully, Vassar gives students several weeks to add and drop courses before having to commit. This is one of my favorite parts of academic life here, since it gives you time to find professors with whom you really click. I have, however, definitely settled on a few interesting gems. I'll be taking The American Presidency in the political science department, and then The British Empire in the history department. I'm also going to take Childhood in Modern England, a seven-person history seminar that looks really interesting. It will be a nice change to take a class on such a specific topic and develop a deeper mastery of the material. (In high school, we had to take classes spanning all of world history! No time for details.)

Overall, I'm looking forward to a fantastic year, both academically and on the Miscellany — now, which of those requires more of my time, I couldn't tell you!