Black History Month!

Hello Concord family,

Ahhhhhhh February one of my favorite months came and went by so fast. This month is meaningful to be because is black history month, even though I think black history should be celebrated every month. Not only that this was my first month back to school to start spring semester and once again is going by fast as well.

I spent the first few days of February at home spending some last quality moments with my family. Then I packed up and went back to St. Thomas. Right as I got back to UST I was thrown into classes and all the other activities going on campus. Needless to say, this month has been extremely busy, and I felt myself disconnecting from everything and just focusing on school. Just like last semester I had to find the balance of school and having fun as well. I realized even more this past few weeks that just focusing on school is great and I get my things done but at the same time I have to balance it out with other stuff.

Classes wise I think I am slowly finding my groove and handling my classes the best way I can. This semester I am taking Human Biology, Theology 394, Active non-violence and Sociology. I really like how my classes are all across the map because slowly is helping get a better idea of what I want to major in. So far, I am doing good in classes and keeping up with my work even though at times I feel backed up. As for next week, I am preparing myself for a paper that is due and two exams, but I am not too worried because I know as long as I put in the work the outcome will be good. Overall, I am enjoying my classes and looking forward to the rest of the semester.

The exciting part of this month was celebrating black history month and doing all the activities that went with it. I have enjoyed the discussions revolving around race, talking about what it means to be black, the workshops and the dinner that wrapped it all up. Even though this month is over I will continue to celebrate black history every month.

Well Concord family, this is what my month looked like. I know is all over the place but that is how chaotic it felt at times. Stay tuned for next month!

Until next time,

J’so!

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2019 is flying by!

Woah!

Are my only words based on how quick this month of January flew by. It honestly feels like we just got into the new year and January started, but now as we can see is already over. My January was all spent at home because I have been off school since December 21st and it has been nice just being home resting and catching up with my family and high school friends.

So, safe to say my January was spent relaxing with no school or homework to worry about. I myself could not believe that I had a whole month off and did not have to worry one bit about homework. After a while I got used to it and started relaxing more. I spent the first few weeks of January catching up with my two best friends that were off from school as well and some close friends that were also in town for winter break. Honestly seating down and having conversations with these people made me realize how different we are living our college life and the different experiences we are making. But at the same time, it felt amazing to get together again and have it feel like old times.

Catching up with my friends was great but catching up with my family was amazing as well. When I am away at school my life tends to become all about school and what is surrounding me most of the time, so being home and just focusing my attention on family gave me a sense of peace. It was just great not only to be home again with my mom and sister but also seeing my aunts and uncles and just talking about my experiences so far in school but also hearing about what is new with them. I just love spending time with my family so having this month off to do that was needed.

Well, Concord family as January comes to an end that means is back to school for me and the start of second semester. I am really excited about what Second semester has to bring and all that I get to learn and experience in these last three months of my freshman year. I am ready to take on the spring semester and the more memories to come.

Concord family stay with me as I continue to experience it all!

Until Next Time,

J’so.

 

December

Hello Concord Family,

Ahhhh, is the only thing I can think of. I can’t believe I have come full circle and finished my first semester of college. It is honestly so surreal, it seems like yesterday I was packing and freaking out about going to college. Here I am now, done with my first semester and feeling good about it.

When December started, I had to mentally prepare myself for the stress I was about to endure during finals week. I have had finals in high school before, but I didn’t know what to expect when preparing for college finals. I had three finals and a final paper due. Easy to say I had to apply all the time management skills I had been learning these past few weeks. Because each of my classes are different the way I had to study for them was different and that was a challenge. Also, not forgetting the fact that it was easier for me to want to have fun rather than study, but I knew better than that.

Through it all I am happy to say I passed all my finals and I am happy with my final grades. This feeling of happiness is coming from the hours spent studying, stressing, worrying and at times questioning if I could do it. This month and this semester itself have pushed me academically in ways I never thought I could be before. I was challenged to think outside of the box, to ask the “risky” questions and to learn to have faith in my academic ability. As the first semester has come to an end once again, I understood the importance of hard work, determination and resiliency. As more semesters come and go, I will keep working harder and pushing myself academically to be the best I can be.

As finals finished, I packed up and made my way home to spending the holidays with my family. Even though this month was harder for me because there are some special people I have met that I wasn’t going to see for a while, I needed to see my family as well. With the holiday spirit around me, Christmas day was spent with my family consisting of me, my mom, sister and aunts and uncles. There was no better way I wanted to spend the holidays. It was amazing to just be surrounded  by my loved ones.

As 2018 ends, I am really looking forward to 2019. I am looking forward to my spring semester, the memories I get to make, a healthy family, the relationships I have created and will keep creating. But most of all I am looking forward to growing mentally, emotionally and physically and overall to keep making my mom and family proud. 2019 will be the year to take my time and go at a pace that works me.

2018 has thought me so many lessons and has been filled with so many memories whether good or bad. Obrigado 2018 and hello 2019!

 

Until Next time,

J’so!

3 Weeks To Go!!

 

Hello Concord family,

Ahhhh, is honestly all I can say. I am three weeks away from finals and from ending my first semester of college. Where has time gone? I have no clue, but it all has been a very interesting ride.

November for me began with looking forward to heading home and spending Thanksgiving with my family. The month started off slow because midterms were done earlier and fall break had just ended so it was just a normal few weeks with being a student, trying to be social and at the same time making sure I made time for myself. Like I have said in some earlier posts balance is so important, is all about balance. I am still working on that balance and slowly finding my groove.

So far academics have been stressful but not that bad, since coming back from fall break, I feel like the work load hasn’t been bad. I am doing pretty good in all my classes and feel comfortable and good about my tests and quizzes I have taken. But as we are about three weeks away from finals, things are piling up and the work load is becoming a lot. But just like I passed and survived midterms I am ready to take on finals as well.

This semester has honestly gone by so fast is insane, but every day has been an adventure, whether good or bad I have learned a lot from it. This month has just been relaxing with school work, spending time with family and friends, as November ends, I am ready to take on December and Christmas.

Well Concord, family this what I have been up to this past month. Can’t wait for December but until then wish me luck on my first ever college finals.
Till Next time,
J’so!

Just a few pictures of me and some friends at the Gophers opener game and some snow time fun!

 

Half Way through my first semester of college!

Hello Concord Family,

Wow is all I can say. Time is flying so fast, I can’t believe I am already halfway through my first semester at Saint Thomas. It seems like just yesterday I was freaking out about moving in, enjoying my classes and making new friends but I can say everything is going well. Now in a way I feel like I am a pro at college, I know is only been about eight weeks but in these eight week I’ve dealt with both the good and bad of college. What I have learned is that, is definitely not an easy process but if you surround yourself with supportive and good friends and always remember the reason you’re there then it will be alright.

These past few weeks of school have actually been really busy with not only turning final papers but also preparing for midterms exams. Last week started off with me turning my first ever portfolio for English which on its own took about four weeks to complete then studying for my exams. I started with my music exams which didn’t go as well as I would’ve like but still went well, then my Justice and Peace Studies exam which I felt good about so hopefully it went well. For my Theology and Intensive writing classes I didn’t really have exams but final papers to turn in and I can say those went really well, and I am really happy about that. Overall even though midterms were stressful and busy I survived, and everything went well. Like I said in an earlier post college is all about Balance, I am slowly starting to find a good balance between being a student but also being social because without that balance my life would be in chaos. Not only balance but also setting priorities and remembering that school should always come first.

With our stress already at an all-time high, us people of color where hit with some racist comments written on a person of colors door. Waking up that Saturday morning and finding out about the comments shook me. Is already hard to try to find your place and fit in at a predominantly white school but this comment made me feel like I was not welcomed and unwanted on this campus. Till now I am still trying to process what happened but at the same time keeping my head held high because just like anyone else here I and we all deserve to be on this campus.

Well Concord family, this is a little insight of what has been happening in my life these past few weeks. Happy new month to all of you.

Until Next time,

Jasmine!

 

First Month of College!

Hello, everyone,

WOW! what an interesting and busy first month of college is been. This month started off with me packing up, leaving my friends and family to start this new adventure called college. The first week of college involved welcome days at Saint Thomas, going on a retreat with my Dease people and that involved a lot of activities that were fun but also very tiring at the same time. In that week alone I made great friends, got a canoe stuck and flipped over which was great. So far college has been treating me well.

As I got ready to leave home though, I was scared about not having a good roommate since I did random roommate, but I can honestly say my roommate Hannah has been great and we’ve been getting along very well and is been so much fun. I have also already made some great friends that I believe are lifetime friends and we have our own group that consists of 6 of us. Honestly is been great being surrounded by such an amazing group friends and it feels like we have known each other for a lifetime even though is only been a few weeks.

Now on to classes, I am taking four full credit classes, so Theology, Justice and Peace studies, Music and Culture, and Intensive writing. All four classes have been going well but they all involve a lot of writing and reading which can be tiring but I think I am finding my groove to be able to balance them all. I have learned that balance and time management is very important because you feel like you have so much free time but if you don’t manage it well then you feel behind and stressed out. Is important to work on the balance because you want to be with your friends, but you also need to do homework so finding what’s best for me and how to handle that has been very important to me. So far classes have been going well, I have taken some quizzes in class and they have been good, I just had a test in music and I felt good about it so hopefully the grade looks good too. Slowly I am understanding my classes and finding out which ones need more of my attention and which ones don’t need a lot of my attention. Like I said is all about balance and I am slowly navigating my way through that.

I have also been outgoing to be involved in Saint Thomas somehow because I Think that is important, so far, I have joined two clubs. Ansa and Besa, Ansa is a club for African students to come and represent their country and be proud of that, Besa is a black empowerment club which is great because having a very white dominated school is important to have a space like that. I am overall excited about the things I have been up to here at Saint Thomas and the more things to come my way.

I can’t express well enough how well my first month of college has been and I am so glad to share a little bit of it with my concord family. Can’t wait for my next post, where I can share more about classes and all that is going on in school.

Until Next time,
Jasmine!

Enjoy these photos of me and my friends as we got ready for our first Tommie football game.

Summer 2018!

As my summer is coming to an end is been great to sit down and reflect on the past few weeks. From graduation to graduation parties to traveling and spending these last few weeks catching up with my family and friends before we all set off for our next adventures. This summer has been by far the best of the best.

Summer started with me graduating and having all of my family members with me to celebrate this milestone but just like that time flew by and everyone was once again separated and it was time to start working and get started on summer plans. I spent a week surrounded by kids working as a day camp counselor at church and it was a great experience to be around there crazy energies all the time, next on my list was doing my concord internship. Throughout the few days I was at Concord it was just such a great experience meeting people and getting to talk to them to see the family that was and is being created at Concord. Honestly by far one of the best things I have ever experienced.

Next, I set off on one of the best trips I have ever been on, my trip to Buffalo, New York. This trip made me learn so much but not only that it opened my eyes to many more things. From working with refugees and working in a Food pantry/shelter made me more aware of the privilege I have to always have a roof over my head and food on my table every single day. This trip pushed me and all of us to ask questions and get out of our comfort zones and it was great. But of course, it being my last mission trip it was great spending times with my fellow seniors and friends during our fun days at the church and at Niagara Falls. As this trip came to an end I was looking forward to traveling to Dickinson, North Dakota to spend time with my family which is always an adventure and always a great time.

As summer is coming close to ending I am looking forward to spending these last few days with my friends before we all head off to college. Honestly, I am excited but also nervous about this next chapter of my life. Not knowing what these next four years of my life would be like but I am ready for this next adventure. But as my friends start to leave one by one is starting to finally sink in that we are all going our separate ways. I don’t know what these next four years will hold for me but I do know I will try my hardest to accomplish my goals and make everyone around me proud.

Until next time, Jasmine!

Here is a small look into my fun filled summer!!!