Midway Musings

We're officially halfway in. Every day I'm surprised how much I'm learning in class. Then again, there's hardly any time out of the classroom, but we're so busy gaining new knowledge and practicing new skills, I barely notice.

Before we started the program, I took note of the fact that we Hotelies would be endlessly working, but for some reason, I still believed in my head that I would explore the beautiful surroundings nonetheless, go jogging with friends every morning, and hang out. I still want to do all those things. What I'm trying to say is that midway through the program ( I know, I can't believe it either) I'm realizing what a painfully short time we have left here in Ithaca, whose beauty should not remain a mystery. I don't want to go home.

I want to chase butterflies at the Cornell Plantations; I want to flip through volumes at the enchanted Uris Library; I want to raid the farmers' market; I want to climb all 161 step up the Cornell bell tower; I want to jump inside Buttermilk Falls (with a life vest of course!), and most of all, I want to be successful in our hotel class.

It's all about the scheduling, as Ms Neal has reminded me. While I probably won't get to live out the Cornell experience that I had imagined, I will be taking away from this the realization of the disorganized way I manage my life. While I'm living it up in independence (not counting the laborious hours spent in the classroom), I know that there are things I need to work on which will make my future life in college much smoother.

Academic-wise, I've been fairing somewhat well, doing well on my memos and today's quiz. On the other hand, my presentation skills remain a weakness to overcome, but I'm feeling more comfortable. CHESS is a game I vow to conquer somehow. It is mind-boggling and baffling, but I must find myself a winning strategy. I've been doing better each time I try my hand at the game, but there are definitely quite a few curve-balls.

There's a week and a half left. Strangely I feel more disheartened by the fact that our return (to summer assignments, to conditioning, and to dreary responsibilities incomparable to the life we've established here at Cornell) is imminent, than I am by the many projects I should be worrying about.