Home Again Home Again... Until January

You do not realize how blissful a week at home is until you have it. After a semester full of homework, a packed schedule and a good amount of coffee, nothing is better than coming home for a break. For this Thanksgiving break we had an entire week off as opposed to a normal couple of days. This made for a lot more time relax and at least for me a lot more time to get organized. As I said earlier I am studying abroad in Spain next semester and I leave January 21st. EEEEEEPPPP! It’s coming up so fast and I am both excited but nervous! I've been to Europe for a trip in high school, but living in a foreign country for 4 months is another story. So in preparation for study abroad I had a few adventures this past break.

From what I learned this past week, take a bit from my experience! First off the biggest thing I can tell you is ALWAYS be on top of what you have to get together for study abroad and be organized about it. There is a good amount of paperwork that you need to get in such as passports, VISA's and medical forms (mine turned out to be interesting to send in because it had "fractured fibula" in probably the smallest handwriting possible at the very bottom, oops!). My mistake was not looking up my VISA information ahead of time and ended up getting to the Spanish Consulate in Boston later than I could of. All the paper work takes a bit to get together but in the end its all for a trip of a lifetime!

 Second....packing. I can't even begin to tell you how much I am not prepared to figure that one out. Granada has bit of a warmer climate than Vermont and Rhode Island but I am basically packing for every weather condition minus packing for frigid-cold weather. So far for packing AIFS (the program I am studying abroad through) provides a packing list which is helpful! Between that and talking with friends who have studied abroad in the past year or so I am starting to figure out what I do and do not need to bring.

A little warmer than New England, 50's are shorts weather here

 Over break I had to get all the paper work together and start putting together things for the trip. Since I have a month for Christmas break before I leave, I will have plenty of time to get everything else all set! The biggest thing for me is that I get a good amount of time at home before I go. I got to spend all Thanksgiving break with family and friends which was great!

And I can't even describe to you how full I still am from all the food, sweet goodness. For my family we have two Thanksgiving dinners in one day. The first we have with my Nana around lunch time and then we have Thanksgiving dinner with my cousins from the other side of the family. All the food the entire day was unreal and once we got to Thanksgiving dinner, we realized how much we had gotten ourselves into. My cousin Kimberlee thought, with leftovers in mind, that getting a 25 lbs. turkey for seven to eight people was a sweet deal. I can tell you first hand we did not even make a dent in the pan there was so much food, one of the best things about the holidays! I am unbelievably excited to be heading to Spain but with all the preparation needed to get done before I go over there, nothing was better than being home!

Facebook: Candice Kalil
Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary
Instagram: candicekalil31

Cracks and Crutches

The past few weeks ended up taking quite a turn and drastically changed what I had envisioned as the end of the semester. During a rugby game on November 1st I rolled my ankle as I got tackled. Everyone else was convinced I had a sprained ankle and even I was too, but still wanting to be cautious I went over to the hospital to get some X-Rays done. What I figured would be a maximum 1 to 1 1/2 hour trip to the hospital turned into a 4 hour adventure and one of the spookiest moments I think I have ever had. I was told I sprained my ankle but I fractured my fibula. Your fibula is one of two main bones in your calf. The tibia is the larger shinbone that runs down the middle of your calf while the fibula is the smaller bone that runs on the outside of your calf. Apparently what occurred was when my ankle rolled in as I got tackled, it not only sprained my ankle but caused two cracks to happen in the lower part of my fibula in my ankle joint.You can easily say I was shocked and for it being my first big injury in my almost 21 years of living, I was dumbfounded. At first I had to rock a lovely chunk of a splint for a week before I got my now prettier purple cast.

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Now for someone like me, who has never once in her life needed crutches or gotten seriously hurt, the past 2 - 3 weeks have been a learning curve. It has been a challenging and interesting adjustment to life no longer on both feet. Even then I can tell you the amount I have learned in that time is unreal. 

For starters, friends are the best people in the entire world. I say "I'm sorry!" far to much and I don't think I will ever be able to cover how grateful I am for them in the millions of ways they have helped me out. 

Second, I live out of my backpack because it is really the only way I can carry anything around. Even if it is a small trip I usually take it to just make things easier.

Third, once you loose a little bit of independence you learn to appreciate it. For the record also I fractured the fibula in my right leg so I can't drive. I do not have a car on campus but I apologize to my family ahead of time when I come home because I might need to be shuttled around a bit! The smallest things become way more difficult on crutches and you learn to work around them. 

Fourth, I can actually walk a little! I was given this oh so pretty shoe that I get to wear over my cast to work on walking. It cracks me up because I know for a fact my 92 year old Nana has the exact same one. Thankfully I have friends who motivate me to not be scared and try walking on it one step at a time. Today I was able to make it almost 10 steps without any crutches (doesn't sound like a lot but I'm getting there!).

I add a fuzzy sock for a little extra style

Fifth, as scary as this whole injury sounds, don't let it discourage you from wanting to play sports. Everyone gets hurt, people get hurt tripping and bumping into things on a regular basis. I can tell you regardless of this I already plan to run a 10 mile race hopefully this summer and eventually plan to run a half marathon. Believe me I can understand but athletes and non athletes all get injuries!

Last but certainly not least, Saint Mike's is by far the best campus to be at with a cracked bone. I can't imagine going to a big school and just being a number among the crowd with this cast and crutches. I cannot tell you the endless amounts of examples I can share on how helpful and kind people have been the past few weeks. Every time I walk into Alliot to get food I at least have more than 1 person offer to help me carry my plate and I rarely walk past a door without someone offering to hold it open for me. The funny thing to is even if I wasn't on crutches, people do that anyway! Just being on crutches I have recognized it and learned to appreciate it more! The Saint Mike's community is full of great people and I don't think I would be able to get around as much if I was somewhere else. 

Even though I have my frustrated moments of not being totally independent, not being able to drive and realizing how much of a ski season I don't have this year, bones heal and I will be back to normal as soon as I can be! Until then I will be hobbling around, using my Nana's wheelchair to hopefully cut the lines for Christmas shopping and having my injury make watching all the Netflix I can a bit more socially acceptable. A cracked bone isn't going to stop me from walking onto that plane at the end of January to make it for my 4 month adventure to Spain, I can promise you that!

Facebook: Candice Kalil 

Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary

Instagram: candicekalil31

Food...Food...And More Food

ITS ALMOST THE HOLIDAYS! And you know what that means...FOOD. The best part of the holidays (besides all the love, shopping, caroling, Christmas movies and family time) is the copious amounts of amazing food that it entails. This just doesn't just include holiday parties and meals with family or friends, but also what you give back. There are so many programs, churches and community efforts that make sure everyone gets to join in the holiday festivities whether it is a soup kitchen, fundraiser or party. So whatever your holiday event might be whether it is for a small or large crowd, here are some awesome recipes to make! Some are holiday related others just look so
delicious they had to be added:

Make sure to not get any cavities in the process!
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Pies! - Who doesn't love pie? There are so many kinds and they make a perfect treat at Thanksgiving and even Christmas. Now I didn't just find one recipe but rather Pinterest was able to provide 50 in one post! Check out: 50 Delicious Thanksgiving Pie Recipes

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Oreos and Chocolate Chip Cookies Together?! - Yes this is a thing and it is absolutely possible to make. Both of America's favorite cookies can be combined into a masterpiece. Oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookies only take about a half hour to make and are a great treat for any holiday gathering. Check out: Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Garlic Bread. YUM. - Garlic bread can go with many occasions
and is a great compliment to any dinner. Here is a yummy recipe for Cheese and Garlic Crack Bread (Pull Apart Bread).

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Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups - This is the cutest little dessert/treat to make for the holiday season! A perfect bring to any holiday party, event or family gathering. Its kind of like finger food only dessert. Check out: Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups

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A Taste of Fall for the Holidays - To keep going with the treats theme, these scones are to die for and would make a great addition to any Thanksgiving meal! Just put them right next to the pies on the table and you will be set to go! Check out: Harvest Pumpkin Scones

These are just a few of the millions of awesome holiday recipes you can find online! From Google to Cooking sites to Pinterest, there are so many recipes you can make at home or in you suite building kitchen! For everyone on campus there are kitchens in the townhouses and in the suite buildings where you can bake and cook. Baking in my opinion is one of the best parts of the holiday season and is a good way to bring everyone together! Tags such as "Christmas Recipes" and "Holiday Recipes" should bring up some awesome results!

Facebook: Candice Kalil 
Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary
Instagram: candicekalil31

Before the Colors Run Out

Being mid term time, the past two weeks or so have been super busy and packed! Not only with work but some pretty fun times too! Recently we had our fall break which gave us a Friday off. Unfortunately since Rhode Island is still a good drive and with rugby season in full swing I decided to stay on campus to get a jump start on school work. To my disadvantage I got the annual "mid-term week and colder weather" cold which I spent the whole weekend fighting off. Don't think I let that stop myself , my friends and I actually took a field trip to go visit the Shelburne Museum since the majority of us had never been! The museum is massive and is basically a large, touring icon of Vermont filled with historical artifacts and structures. It is an interactive museum so you do have a bit of walking to do!

(Q, Pointy, Suze and I heading back to grammar school)

An interactive museum, this gem of Shelburne took you back in time through the history of Vermont. From a blacksmith shop to a printing press to historic bridges and buildings, the Shelburne Museum has it all! It was a great trip to get off campus for a bit during the break on a gorgeous fall day. On our way out we happened upon the carousal they had which is over 90 years old, naturally we had to embrace our inner child before we left!

Also in the past two weeks I was able to go Sea Kayaking with the SMC Wilderness Program. I have never been and getting to kayak through Lake Champlain especially this time of year was beautiful. The colors in the mountains were unbelievable but a bright sunny day out on the water made for a perfect Sunday. I had never been kayaking other than just paddling around on the ocean at home and using the kayak as an anchor to jump off of. It was a great experience and I wish I hadn't waited until my junior year to do it. Here's some pictures of the trips:

Kayaks for the Wilderness Program

Great day with these goons!

(Q and I embracing our inner child)

I would absolutely recommend getting involved as soon as you can because I would have loved to have done more hiking, kayaking or any of the outdoor trips that the Wilderness Program has because it is a great way to get outside and explore Vermont.  Even with having an  incredibly busy few weeks with homework, classes and rugby being able to get outside both hiking and kayaking with some off campus trips such as the one to the Shelburne Museum has made for some great times this semester! The fall weather and foliage doesn't last forever so it's been great to get outside before the colors run out!

Facebook: Candice Kalil 

Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary

Instagram: candicekalil31

Being a Frugal Fanny is Social Acceptable

No matter which way you look at it its hard to find college to be quote on quote "cheap". It is just how it is these days, getting an education is expensive but the money you invest ultimately can land you with a degree to benefit your career. The coined term "broke college kid" is used frequently for a reason. Not only is it the tuition bills all college students pay, but also that point when you are either partially or fully independent and trying to stand on your own two feet financially. Totally normal, but if you feel like you are always breaking your wallet don't stress you aren't alone. A cool thing is that when you are a student, there are LOADS of discounts that you can get! People and businesses understand when paying for your education you try to cut back in other areas.  For an enormous list of places you get discounts at take a look at:

70 Things You Can Score With Your Student ID

There are tons of different deals you can find! These can come from chain stores as well as local businesses. For example, this past weekend a couple of friends and I went to Shelburne Farms (next post so tune in!) and even though we had connections to get free tickets, they have a 50% discount to students who show their ID. That being on the local scale, larger businesses also offer discounts. There is a 10% discount at Charlotte Russe and other clothing stores such as H&M and even J.Crew. Charlotte Russe gets me every time with their 2 for $10 scarves, feeding my scarf addiction.

True Life: I'm Addicted to Scarves

For all you tech-y's and are loyal to Apple, they offer $200 off on a MacBook, and up to $30 on Ipad when you show your college ID. So for those of you looking to buy a new laptop before heading to school, maybe wait until just after the first day to save you a few bucks! There's plenty of dining places that offer discounts such as Subway and McDonald's offering 10% off. And the most popular deal of all, Amazon never fails to help students out with their Free 2 day shipping for Students program. So don't fret if you are crunching and trying to spend less because there are plenty of place out to help students, being a frugal fanny is absolutely alright!

 Facebook: Candice Kalil
Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary
Instagram: candicekalil31

Taking on Europe: Round 2

When applying to schools one of my deal breakers was a study abroad program. I didn't walk into college knowing exactly where I wanted to go but after going to France and Spain on a 10 day trip my senior year of high school, I knew if I got the chance to go abroad again I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity. Popping around Google, Study Abroad Catalogs and of course Pinterest I did some research and decided I wanted to go back to Spain. On my senior year trip I spent a quick 3 days in Barcelona and thought it would be awesome to go back and get to see more! I decided to apply to study abroad in Granada, Spain because of its programs, southern location and area. I am not a city person and as much as I loved Barcelona, I knew a setting like Granada was more for me. I chose to go spring semester not only because of rugby’s fall season but also because of the seasons there. Hey if I can sneak in one European ski day, I will be happier than a clam at high tide! With my program I get to even travel around Spain and get to visit some pretty cool places:

 ·     Alhambra — One of Granada’s main sites with the world-famous Patio de los Leones and the Salon de Embajadores and visit the colorful Generalife garden

      ·     The Moorish neighborhood of the Albaicin - from 10^th century Muslim Spain where there are winding, narrow streets lead to quaint plazas with apparently gorgeous views of the Alhambra and the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

       ·    The Cathedral and Royal Chapel of Granada, burial place of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand

       ·     Hike in the Sierra Nevada mountains

       ·     Weekend visit to Morocco, yea Morocco. Enough said.

       ·     A visit to Toledo, Spain with its historic synagogues and cathedrals 

       ·     Gibraltar, Seville, Córdoba: Weekend trip to Gibraltar, Seville, Córdoba to see some pretty awesome places such as the Rock of Gibraltar, Europa Point and Lighthouse and St.Michael’s Caves. That’s only Gibralter too, its gonna be a jam packed 3 days!

       ·     Anywhere and everywhere else I can hopefully visit! France and Ireland if I can!

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So you are probably wondering how planning for studying abroad is going. Saint Mike’s is actually pretty on top of the study abroad program and through applying with AIFS (American Institute for Foreign Study) I was able to get a lot of the tedious paperwork in early. From my senior year trip my passport was already set to go, and I plan to go to Boston soon to pick up my VISA. All the technical stuff is coming together, now it’s just getting mentally prepared to live in a foreign country for almost 5 months. How on earth do you pack 5 months’ worth of stuff into one or two suitcases? Granted I am not a savvy shopper and have a ton of clothes but it’s going to be interesting! I think I will just cross that bridge when I get there. Either way I can’t begin to describe how excited I am for the opportunity and to get to go back to Europe. January 4^th: Let the adventure begin!

For more information on Study Abroad, click the Study Abroad tab on the SMC website!

We're From Barcelona - I'm From Barcelona

 Facebook: Candice Kalil 
Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary
Instagram: candicekalil31 

SOS: Exam Time

Happy Monday & welcome to the month of October where we at about Week 6 or 7 of the semester, you know what that means.....

EXAM TIME

The big in CAPS red letters might intimidate you but don't fret just yet. Exams tend to come either spaced out for some people or just all at once for those lucky folks. Whether you have ample time to study or feel like you have no time at all, here are some helpful ways to get prepared for those exams:

1. Sleep - Sleep is without a doubt one of the best things for your brain. Pulling an all-nighter might sound like a great idea but you retain more information by getting a good night's sleep rather than cramming for your exam that following morning.

2. Groups - Meeting up with people and bouncing ideas off each other is a great way to not only review information but pick up on stuff you might have missed.

3. Plan Ahead - You might feel the time crunch but even if it is going over a few note cards each night, studying before the night before the exam helps you retain more information

4. Stay Organized - All those notes, note cards and study sheets might seem hectic to keep track of but try keeping a folder or grab a paper clip to keep everything together

5. Study Alone Also! - Having a studying mix helps the best! Studying in groups is a great way to bounce ideas off of one another but remember you need some time for you yourself to focus on the material

6. Shake it Off - Shake off the pre-exam nerves! My R.A. (resident assistant) my freshman year gave me a good piece of advice before Exam Week. Remember than even if you feel overwhelmed and that you don't remember everything, if you have been present in class every day, taken notes and paid attention you already know more than you think you do!

Take a deep breath and don't leave everything to the last minute! Review your material and study hard it will pay off!

Shake It Off - Taylor Swift 

 Facebook: Candice Kalil
Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary
Instagram: candicekalil31