Happy December everyone! Hope your month has gotten off to a wonderful start! Honestly, where has the time gone on? Where did November go?? I don't think November has even gone by so fast!! But I won't complain, because I love December (minus exams) and am looking forward to everything that will happen this month!
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| One year ago today - Lauren and I at the Justin Bieber concert! |
So before we jump ahead to December, I have to say that November came to a very nice close. Monday, I got my French Quiz back, which I got a 93% on, so that was a nice start to my week. However, I was not paying attention in class when were taking it up but all of a sudden, while I was writing in my agenda, my prof called my name and I just looked up clueless as she said, "Erica, isn't this the question you got wrong?" So the entire class got to learn where I had made my mistake… I felt like I was back in high school, but it's ok, I got over it. After that, I went to the pool and to my afternoon class and then Vicki and I worked on our video for a bit in the education lounge. Following that, I made my weekly trip to Provigo and came home to make Greek salad pitas for dinner. On a side note, I would just like to point out that I had planned to make Greek salad BEFORE the email from the campus dining hall came out saying that it was Greek week at Dewies.
Tuesday was "school day" but it was a big day because I taught two lessons - one to my grade 3/4 class and one to my grade 6 class. In both classes, we worked on a website called Storybird, making online visual stories. Based on student reactions, it seemed like majority of them liked it. My teacher even commented that one boy was working harder than she had ever seen him work! My favourite moment of the day was when one of my students in grade 3 came over to me, held both my hands, looked up at me and said "Miss Erica, I don't want to do my work, I just want to walk around with you." How could I say no to that? So, he became my little shadow for the rest of the day. In my grade 6 class, I showed them another YouTube video called "20 Things We Should Say More Often" and they really liked it - they even said some of the lines to me at the end of the class. And gave me hugs! So it was all around a great morning!
After that, I came back to school and went to my Ed Teach class, in which we presented our creative projects. My visual story about bullying was well received and it was neat to see what everyone else had come up with. After that, I hit up the gym (I can't believe I just said that) - I went to the gym and then to the student ministry dinner with Elizabeth and Gaby. It was the last one for me for the semester so I would like to extend a huge thank you to the student ministry (led by my housemate Sarah) for feeding me every Tuesday this semester. I so, so appreciate it, as do all the other students that come to the meals. Following dinner, I had my last astronomy class and then came home and chatted with my mom before she left for Hawaii.
Wednesday, I dragged myself to campus to go to the Sports Medicine centre for an early appointment. I got in a bit of trouble for being 20 minutes late. Oops! I blame the slippery sidewalks because I was unable to walk at my usual quick pace. My ankle does not feel as though it has made much progress, but it has only been two weeks so I guess I need to just be patient. After that, I went to my final French class, where we were doing exam review, but every time I tried to answer, I was told to be quiet! Not a good final week of French for me… ? Anyway, that afternoon in my education class, we showed each other our videos about our educational philosophies. They were so fun! We were supposed to have Oscars awards but my prof forgot to bring the paperwork, so we just enjoyed each other's videos while eating TImbits. You can see mine and Vicki's below (I hope it works!).
Following class, I went to see my prof Kamran so that he could look over my unit plan, which is the final project for his class. When I went to his office, he was doing interviews for his first year education students, the same process I went through last year. I said that I could come back later, but he invited me in to ask questions to the first years and I ended up staying in his office for 3 hours, helping with interviews and chatting about the semester. Kamran was my favourite prof this semester and I am so, so sad that I won't have his class in the winter, which I told him. He is unfortunately not teaching any second year classes next semester, so I will have to wait until 4th year to have him again. :(
When I finally left Kamran's office, I went with Hannah to Vicki's rez event in Mackinnon - Movemberfest. Her event was based on educating residents on Movember, so she had trivia posted around the room, a pin-the-moustahce on One Direction game, a make your own moustache table and brownies to eat once you completed the activities. Hannah and I helped set up and helped eat the brownies and then trekked home for dinner. I was tempted to hang around until 8pm for the Mackinnon Guilty Pleasure night, but Hannah convinced me not to steal anymore food from the residents, so home I came. I spent the rest of the night relaxing and reviewing for my exam the next morning.
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| My exam care package from my dad arrived on Wednesday! |
Thursday I wrote my EETC aka the English Exam for Teacher Certification. It had three parts: 1) I had to correct the grammar in 30 sentences, 2) I had to write a letter to parents about a school initiative and 3) I had to write an email to a principal based on a given scenario. It was fairly easy for me, since the exam is primarily geared towards French speakers who are trying to become certified to teach in English. I will get my results in January. Vicki wrote the exam too, and once we finished, we went back to her room to watch Glee. Following that, I went to the gym and then to LES Outdoor Club, where we all went outside and played in the snow for an hour. I really should have brought my snow pants because I was freezing by the end! I was excited to learn that at the next meeting we are going skating and then having a hot chocolate party, so I cannot wait! After Outdoor Club, I went to knitting club and began working on my first hat. So far, I have had to re-start about 6 times, but I feel the 7th time will be the charm. After knitting club, I came home for dinner and then we had our first Christmas movie night aka we blew up our air mattress and cuddled up to watch Elf (we=me, Jocelyn, Elizabeth, Hannah, Kirsten and Gaby).
Friday, I spent the morning at the gym (quite honestly, I am becoming a gym rat…) and then went to see Kamran again to help him with some more interviews. I then went with Hannah to the Bishop's students free skate at the rink. There were only 3 other people there, so we almost had the rink to ourselves. We came home and had grilled cheese for lunch and I did some homework and some yoga before meeting Vicki at the last free church dinner of the semester. After some delicious chill and corn bread, Vicki and I came back to my place to get ready for the first ever School of Education holiday formal. Our fellow education friends Sarah and Katelyn came over to get ready with us and after we helped each other choose outfits and perfect one another's hair, we went over to the fire hall together. The formal was a lot of fun, especially the photo booth, which we kept going back to, over and over again. After the formal, there was an after party at an upper year's apartment and then Vicki came back here for a sleepover. It was such a fun night and Sarah, Katelyn, Vicki and me all agreed that we need to go out together more often.
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| Me, Vicki, Sarah and Katelyn! |
Saturday, I walked with Vicki to campus and I took Jocelyn to the gym and led her through my workout routine. After I tired her out, we came home and I showered off and then met a friend for coffee at the café in town. We ended up chatting for almost 3 hours! I then came home for a feast prepared by Hannah: homemade bread, ham and ratatouille, It was delicious! That night, had a Christmas party at our house, which began with Elizabeth, Taylor and Gaby making a gingerbread house in the kitchen and everyone else making snowflakes in the living room and escalated from there. Hannah had made a log cake earlier in the day, which unbeknownst to me became a birthday cake that night and everyone sang Happy Birthday to me, which was nice (and the cake was delicious). The night was a lot of fun, and no tables were broken so I went to bed very late, but very full and very happy.
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| The Gingerbread house! |
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| Blowing out my candle! |
And today was just a fantastic day all around! I went to the gym in the morning (honestly, it's becoming my second home) and while I was there, I got offered a job. Back story - a few weeks ago, I applied to be a residence duty helper in Mackinnon, which is someone who does a night or two of rounds in residence to make sure all the residents are behaving and I saw the girl who interviewed me at the gym. She asked me if I had gotten her email, which I hadn't and then she offered me the job. So watch out Mackinnon residents - you better behave yourselves! Following that, I met Hannah at the rink for the free skate and while I was there, I saw one of grade 6 students from PEES. At first, I didn't recognize her but she recognized my voice and then skated around with us, holding my hand. I was on cloud nine. I can't wait to have my own daughter to take skating. I hope that Hannah didn't feel too left out!
While we were skating, my friend texted me that he was going to the mall and offered to bring me Starbucks, which he then hand delivered to my door! I spent the rest of the afternoon curled up with my latte studying astronomy and am now still curled up on the couch but am writing this and watching Love, Actually with my wonderful housemates. Christmas season is well underway here at William-Paige and I am loving every minute of it!
So as you can see, I am taking full advantage of my break between classes and exams. I really need to put some effort into my exchange year research but I will get to it, I promise! As for now, I am looking forward to my last day of being 18 before my birthday on Tuesday, on which I am spending the entire day at my practicum and then heading home to Ancaster for a few days. I will be back in Lennoxville on Saturday, will take my exams and then head home for the holidays a week later. I've got lots to do before the exam season ends, but right now, I am going to enjoy my white chocolate frost tea (Day 1 of the David's Tea advent calendar) and enjoy my last few days with my housemates before we are separated for three weeks!
Good luck on your exams fellow university scholars!
All my love, Erica xoxoxoxoxoxo
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