#FeelTheBern

In comparison to the first time I was able to vote, this election I personally feel hits much more at home and is more of a discussion topic than any other between my friends and I. Maybe because four years older, we have a stronger perspective on who runs our country and the fact that we have made more of an effort to become more educated since our first round with voting. This particular election is also different from many because technology and social media, as seen in the last election, has become a huge part of how voters see news and follow their favored politicians.

Election and political campaigns have changed so much that to our generation, as we are getting older we are trying to feel even more connected and involved. Regardless of who you are hoping to or are favoring to vote for, all candidates have been portrayed in the media and have also taken advantage of the social media in many ways within their campaigns. Living in Vermont, you can't necessarily help but feel the Bern. Whether you side with his policies and what he is hoping to pursue in running for office, he has made an incredible impact on the state of Vermont.

On a quick decision, my friends Keri and I were able to attend his rally on Town Meeting Day, a national holiday essentially in the state of Vermont where towns hold their meetings to discuss issues and changes while opening the voting booths. Bernie came to not only vote in the polls, but to speak to those in the area. The rally was held at the local Champlain Valley Expo and was nothing short of an event. Keri and I noticed a few things that stood out among all the Bernie fans.The first being that this group of people were following both a person and a movement, which differs Bernie from many politicians. We see candidates in every race who have a strong experience in American government and who in their own right have policies that make them strong candidates in a presidential race. The difference with Bernie is that it is a movement, not just a person that is running for office.

The other thing we noticed was how many people were there, cheering for Bernie, who were not even eligible to vote yet. Teens, young adults and families were there is support. I take that as an incredible thing because it means more and more people are realizing the value and importance in learning about the country's leaders and educating themselves in that. A take away from the event that I had was the amount of love and pride that Vermont has, which you don't need to go to a Bernie Sander's rally to only see, but in a big way it was absolutely present there. Vermont is an amazing state (going to school here I am little bias but its the truth!) and its awesome to see someone who ten months ago was at his house over on Lake Champlain and is now a front runner for the presidency of the United States, pretty crazy!

Facebook: Candice Kalil

Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary
Instagram: candicekalil31

The Odyssey on Campus

I have previously posted on my blog about the note worthy, relatable and interesting reads that come from the college forum of The Odyssey. Frequently you can see these different articles posted on friend's timeline and your news feeds on Facebook as people find relatable "on-point" articles such as how you grew up in the state your in or a letter to your best friend. 

It is an online social content platform for young writers to express relatable and current material.There are different categories of topics, genres of writing and also lengths of the articles. If you search in their search bar different articles will pop up either related or similar to what you are searching! Some of the topics include important figures, politics, college, friends and love life. 

This semester I have been writing for the Saint Michael's chapter of the Odyssey and it has been great so far! Different from this blog, the Odyssey challenges me to write in a different way about a variety of topics and opinions. So far I have summarized the feelings of being a college senior, touched on different motivational quotes for a long week and what can happen when you aren't constantly on your phone. Now there are multiple writers for Saint Michael's and it is completely student run! 

To check out the Saint Michael's posts, click on the image below!

And for my articles thus far, click on the image below!

Facebook: Candice Kalil

Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary
Instagram: candicekalil31

Good Eats: SMC Area

Not to say the dining hall on campus is the only option and that it's easily accessible, sometimes you might want to get off campus with friends to get a bite to eat! Usually my friends and I will do the occasional brunch (Alliot brunch is always a weekend highlight though!) or to hangout together before heading home for break. Between Winooski and Burlington there are so many good restaurants within a short mile radius of campus! Some of these places you absolutely have to try out because they all have different styles of food and have something for everyone! For the Saint Mike's area, here are some suggestions:

Our House Bistro - Winooski Circle

Our House fits the bill for "twisted comfort food" as it has some of the best mac and cheese around.
There is a lot to the menu besides just staple comfort foods as they put a twist on classic favorites. My personal favorite is the hamburger mac and cheese...heaven.

Tiny Thai - Winooski Circle

Another Winooski Circle favorite is Tiny Thai which has great offers for a solid amount of food. If you like Thai food or are looking to try it this is absolutely the place to go! There are a bunch of other restaurants in the Winooski Circle such as Sneakers and Misery Loves Company, so if you get the chance pop around to them because they are all a hit!

Athen's Diner - Colchester, VT

I went to Athen's Diner for the first time this year, and why I haven't gone before is a bit beyond me. It is a awesome local spot and their breakfast is hard to beat, If you love a good Sunday brunch out, this is the place to go. I recommend the skillets because they are essentially perfection, in a breakfast meal.

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Sweetwaters - Burlington, VT

Jumping from breakfast to dinner, if you are looking for a good dinner spot to splurge a little this is a great place to check out. It is reasonably priced and has awesome food! There is a little something for everyone and they have a great atmosphere in the restaurant from the inside area to the patio outside. I would absolutely check out their apps, when I went I split a few different options and it was super yummy!

American Flatbread - Burlington, VT

This is a chain restaurant but if you are looking for a good pizza place, this is an awesome spot. I have gone multiple times over my time here at Saint Mike's and it is always a good group favorite. They have a variety of different pizza's and also offers brunch. And who doesn't love a good pizza?

Facebook: Candice Kalil

Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary
Instagram: candicekalil31

First (Powder) Day Of The Semester

For many people going to school in Vermont, spring semester naturally kicks off with some snow, which then naturally of course comes with skiing. Yes, skiing and snowboarding are common favorites up here in Vermont. One perk and one of the best parts for us college kids is getting a college pass. Local mountains do an awesome job of offering deals to students who, as you can imagine, take full advantage of skiing during the semester. If your like me, you slightly (only slightly) created your schedule leaving time to ski. At Saint Mike's, Smuggler's Notch Resort is a 45 - 50 minute drive away and offers students a $65 season pass. Yep, $65. That's hard to beat.

What normally is the equivalent of a day pass, Saint Mike's students even if you go one day its completely worth it! Another fun fact about Smugg's is that they have started making their own snow in the past few years. For anyone who has never tried skiing before, its a great mountain to begin skiing on. I have a couple of friends who throughout being at Saint Mike's have improved on skiing a bunch and even started skiing their freshman year! This past week a friend and I got to sneak up to the mountain for a half day and probably for one of the first good days of skiing this season. There was fresh powder which made for an awesome first day back on the mountain!

Another great part about Saint Mike's is that the Wilderness Program offers a free weekend bus students can sign up for and take to the bus. The list fills up but you can sign up plenty in advance. For anyone looking into getting to the mountain, head to the Saint Mike's Wilderness Program page for more information about the buses and getting a pass. For more info, click the Smuggler's Notch logo!

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Facebook: Candice Kalil

Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary
Instagram: candicekalil31

A Year Ago

Time flies when your having fun and 2015 left with some of the best memories I will ever have. A lot happened in one year from breaking a leg to visiting 7 new countries. Everyone is posting on twitter and social media about new year's resolutions while setting new goals for 2016. For all of you who are planning any adventures this year, set the resolution for yourself to make the most of it. Having come back from the opportunity to study abroad in Spain, one year later I will tell you I never thought I would miss it as much as I do. I knew it was temporary, the chance of a lifetime and my chance to see the world. But if you had told me this time a year ago that the memories and friends I had during those 4 1/2 months were going to become a part of my life I would have approached the time differently. 

I walked into the experience with an open mind as should anyone in a new situation. Instead of hopping on a plan to travel Europe I am hopping in a car in a few weeks to go to Vermont for my final college semester. Time really does fly when you are having fun, and I can't wait for what next semester holds (hopefully a lot of snow!). For anyone going abroad or considering doing it next year, make it work and take full advantage of the opportunities given to you because they are once in a lifetime. Its hard to realize when the chance is right in front of you but you are really only young for a good period of time so take those kind of opportunities while you can! 

For all of you going abroad this semester, here is a letter I have for you: 

A Letter To A Study Abroad Student

Facebook: Candice Kalil

Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary
Instagram: candicekalil31

May the Odds Be in Your Favor

Finals Week Survival Go-To's

In finals week, 

here's how I get through the heaviest work week of the semester...

Friends: 

This is the first year my friends and I have had access to a kitchen on campus, therefore my house thought it would be a great idea to have a Christmas family dinner. Since we all tend to be busy we set aside a date to plan to cook and celebrate Christmas together before going home for break! I was in charge of salad and the garlic bread, Suze made a wicked good mac & cheese from scratch, Kelsie made roast beef while Lida made Oreo truffles for dessert. Once it was all together we sat back and had a "we are such adults making a full Christmas dinner" moment. When the semester gets incredibly busy and with finals around the corner, setting time aside to spend time with friends is important.

Organize:

Being on top of work and planning out time for studying will help minimize stress. I tend to making lists and checking them off to keep track of need - to - do work is incredibly helpful to get through the work load. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and before you know it you will be home sitting next to the fireplace, or the fireplace that can be screened through Netflix in case you don't feel like getting up to make a fire.

Health:

For every cup of coffee you should drink at least one cup of water to stay hydrated, stay healthy and get sleep because getting sick during exams is a combo that has no positives whatsoever. Eat healthy, exercise for a good study break by going for a run for example (because its currently 50 degrees out in a Vermont December so absolutely taking advantage of that).

Campus De-Stress:

Saint Mike's holds a lot of de-stressing activities for students during exams such as popping bubble wrap, coloring books provided on the main floor or cuddling with dogs. Next time you walk through the library check the bulletin boards to see the schedule of when the library is bringing in dogs for students. They are always adorable and at the least will put a smile on your face!

Best of luck with finals week everyone! My RA during my first finals freshman year gave us a great piece of advice when we were studying. She said you have been present in class all semester, and as long as you take time to review and look over the material you will walk into the exam knowing more than you think you do. You won't be entering the classroom blind or unaware of the material, and as long as you take the time to prepare you feel better walking into the exam. Enjoy a nice month break for the holidays and may the odds be ever in your favor this week!

Facebook: Candice Kalil

Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary
Instagram: candicekalil31

Finals: As Told by Buddy the Elf

Its the home stretch folks, in other words the last two weeks of fall semester.

Yes it's true, it's December 1st...

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And you know what that means...final exams. Yes final exams are everyone's favorite part of the year. As we all know but finals week comes with a window of time and a whole lot of work. The final stretch of the semester is exactly as it sounds, the last leg of homework and studying before break. Whoever said the last two weeks of a college semester are always easy, definitely did not experience the end of the semester themselves. Finals week comes with a lot of work but there is a long holiday month break to follow!

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To best explain how finals week works and how to work through them, here is Buddy the Elf to tell you how it goes:

You are going to most likely give up cooking, eat easy-to-make meals and crave eating chocolate. 

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Even though you might think an all-nighter or studying last minute for that cumulative exam is a good idea, think what is going to help you understand the material and help you feel prepared. Stay positive and prepare ahead of time for exams, even if it is studying for a little bit each day. 

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If you feel frustrated or unsure of the material don't hesitate to email your professor or ask for extra help. Nothing bad can come from asking for help, those resources are there for you to help you!

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And after exams are done you get a whole month to take a break, regroup and come back in January! Oh and don't forget the best holiday of the year too of course.....

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Lastly, make sure to set time aside each day to give yourself a break from the work. Whether that may be going to the gym for an hour, watching Netflix or hanging with friends, give yourself a break to step away from work and then come back to it! Even watching a Christmas movie isn't too bad of an idea. Prepare, study and work hard because Christmas break will be right around the corner!

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Facebook: Candice Kalil

Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary
Instagram: candicekalil31