Falling for Vermont

Needless to say in Vermont the winter is awesome for winter sports and being near the mountains, but you can never really get sick of Vermont in the fall. There is so much to do that, besides the ever popular and gorgeous foliage, it has to offer that makes the fall hands down my favorite part of the year (besides ski season of course). Okay I do sort of in a way have an obsession with pumpkin iced coffee...and yes I know I am quote on quote "basic" for it ,but it is one of the best things about fall! The pumpkin and apple flavors being offered everywhere, hiking, pumpkin picking and naturally apple picking season ! You can't not have fun apple picking, there is just really no way. If you can't, not sure your human.

I got to go to Shelburne Orchards twice this semester which is a good trip to take during the fall! Just a twenty minute drive from campus you cross over to the town of Shelburne, which is adorable in and of itself. It has crafted scarecrows all over and still has its old small town feel. I went to cover the Bee Here Now festival at the Orchard a few weeks ago as a live coverage assignment for my Multi-Media Reporting class. The people there were incredibly passionate about their work with bees and how much of a problem it is that their importance in the ecosystem is not more of a prominent issue than it should be. They had people from UVM professors to beekeepers to quilters all there at the festival. We took our roommate Kelsie who had never been to Shelburne Orchards before, so naturally we had to go on a tractor ride!

The second time I got to go to the orchard is when I took my boyfriend Tyler two weeks ago when he came to visit for the weekend. He also hadn't gone apple picking since he was little so we did the naturally cheesy fall couple date to the apple orchard where yes, I know what you are thinking but we did get the classic apple picking couple pictures. When its fall and you take your boyfriend apple picking, how could you not? We picked a bunch so we could both cook up some apple pie and he could take some home with him!

One of the goals I had set for the semester also was that I would try to hike as much as possible. There's so much to see in Vermont that on top of skiing there's so much to see. This past weekend my friend Keri and I took a quick morning hike up to Mount Philo which takes about 30 to 45 minutes to get to the top. A very family - oriented hike I heard it was a shorter hike with a wicked pretty view, and it did not fail to meet that that's for sure. Fall in Vermont I don't think will ever get old to me and but never has every time I came to Vermont growing up and even now. Its just a gorgeous state with gorgeous views to boot and you have to take it all in while you can!

Facebook: Candice Kalil

Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary
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SMC Open House!

With semester in full swing it is already almost that time yes for college applications. When I hear that my reactions comes down to either, "Aw they are such babies!" or the classic, "Oh my I am so old I'm not about this". It's true though! Being a senior in colleges is so different when you compare that to being a senior in high school. If you are applying to Saint Mike's I can imagine you have tons of questions and are wondering about so much that isn't just in the handed out (but super informative & creative by the way) handbook. Granted I can type and type on here about all the things I love about Saint Mike's but what would be even better and what would be my recommendation is that you come to a Saint Mike's Open House. There are tons of opportunities to take tours and visit the school but an open house is a wicked awesome day to come up to Vermont and visit! Here is the low down essentially:

Tour and More: In an Open House day at Saint Mike's you get a tour when you come, getting to see the academic buildings, residence halls and seeing the layout of the campus. The really interactive map on the school's website is awesome but trust me it doesn't do it justice as to how pretty the campus is There are both student and parent panels are available for the floor to really open up to questions you have on student life, classes, clubs etc.

Meeting People: With the campus being busy there is a great chance to talk with lots of people and get to know them! Its a great way to make connections and meet people who you might end up having classes with or are in clubs you are interested in!

One on One: I know people who were able to get in touch with certain majors and departments they were interested in which, if you are coming in as a freshman and know what major you want, is an awesome opportunity when visiting the school!

The Area: One thing I would personally recommend about a college visit is to make a weekend out of it if you can! Take some time to hang out on church street or go hiking! See the area and Saint Mike's has to offer!

The Gear: Also at Open House the school store is open so don't hesitate to pop in and get some SMC apparel! At my high school they had college sweatshirt days so I got the most comfortable sweatshirt from the school store that weekend to have! The school store has a large selection of stuff and something for everyone!

The Fit: I knew when I came to visit Saint Mike's it was a good fit for me. My cousin went to UVM and suggested that since I did not want a big school to look into Saint Mike's because she had heard a lot of good things about it. I booked a visit to both schools the same weekend. An open house visit at Saint Mike's reassured me I knew it was a better fit for me. If I did want a big school feel though UVM would definitely be on my list! Spending a day on campus rather than just the tour alone gives you and all around feel for the school and is a great opportunity to connect with everything on campus! Don't hesitate to ask question and see as much as you can because there is a lot Saint Mike's has to offer!

Facebook: Candice Kalil

Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary
Instagram: candicekalil31

The One About College Throwbacks

In honor of Thursday and the ever trending #tbt, this post is dedicated to the years I have had at Saint Mike's. I can tell you right off the bat some of my best friends from Saint Mike's were from my floor freshman year. We were compiled of rugby players, field hockey players, soccer players, musicians and everything in between. There were groups of friends within the hall but I can tell you out of my four years at Saint Mike's my freshman and senior year were the best living situations. I remember the first day perfectly as my entire family and I went up to my room and as I opened the door, my roommate Colleen was there with her entire family too. Great minds think alike because that totaled 10 people trying to move two 18 year old girls into their first dorm room! From there we met the girls in our hall and our RA who was the most motherly and advice giving RA we could have asked for she was awesome! A lot of how our floor became so close definitely gets credited to her.

That time Macklemore performed at SMC

Sophomore year started as one of our friends from freshman year did not come back to Saint Mike's. She was from the Netherlands and was only in Vermont for freshman year. It was weird without her and I still wish she could come back to Saint Mike's. Sophomore year consisted of a lot of skiing and everyone trying to figure out their majors. Sophomore year is somewhat a more lull time in between the craziness of other years which was nice to have! One of my favorite memories sophomore year was getting to go with MOVE on an extended service trip to New Orleans, Louisiana. We worked with Habitat for Humanity along with volunteering at a local nursing home, Boys and Girls Club and a local soup kitchen. The experience was incredible and I wish I could still go back for a longer length of time!

Every Sunday or "Sunday Funday" we had family night with great friends!

I would have to say junior year is what shaped me the most at Saint Mike's. My classes that semester I learned the most from and had some of the best professors I have had in my career here (MJD department rocks that's all I can say!). I also fractured my leg which I will tell you I was not good at handling. I hated being so immobile and having to go to Alliot only when you had a friend to help you carry your plates turned out to be more frustrating that it sounded. I learned a lot about myself from that experience and  I was lucky enough the fracture was not worse than it was! But hey at least I cracked a bone playing rugby and having fun rather than having a silly accident tripping on the stairs or something! After that came going to Spain. If you read through all my posts from January through May, you will understand why it was one of the best experiences I have ever had and if you want to go abroad, GO. IF you are worried about anything I promise it is the best decision you will make!

From Saint Mike's roommates to roommates abroad!

Now four weeks into senior year, its crazy to believe my career at Saint Mike's is at this point. This morning I woke up, made breakfast in the kitchen and read some articles, finished making my coffee and walked out of my 300's townhouse and headed to class. Um...my house?! Yes I live in a townhouse. Our townhouse is awesome and since we have finished decorating it has become more like home! The past four weeks have been great so far and the townhouse life is pretty darn sweet. With all the great memories and times the past three years, I can't wait for what this year has to bring! Make the most of all the time you have at Saint Mike's because I promise you are going to blink and realize it flies by, cause you know times flies when you are having fun!

Facebook: Candice Kalil

Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary
Instagram: candicekalil31

Reverse (College) Culture Shock

Shelburne Orchards

Currently living in my townhouse with a five minute walk to class, its surreal that this time a year ago I was getting everything ready to apply to go abroad. I still haven't gotten past the fact that I'm home and not going back to Spain. Everyone who's back from abroad can agree with me that we could sit and have a three hour conversation of all the amazing things we got to experience abroad. We could babble, relate and share so many stories. When we got home we were sent a package from Saint Mike's that included a pamphlet on "reverse culture shock". You wouldn't think that you would have so much culture shock but I feel like I'm going through round two of it. When I first came back to the states I remembered how water is free at restaurants and that everything isn't within walking distance.

Also for the first time in a long time, I feel settled. When I got home I was constantly making plans and working so I was still moving ten thousand miles a minute. Being back at SMC with a set schedule and knowing that I am living here for a FULL two semesters makes me feel settled and not constantly moving. I don't have to live out of my backpack but rather my townhouse. Its a complete lifestyle change with a transition I did not plan to recognize as much. My lifestyle in Spain was amazing and I could not describe it to you in one sitting, and the same goes for my lifestyle at SMC. I live with and a couple doors down from all my friends which is awesome! You don't realize how beautiful and great where you live is until you leave for a bit of time.

I forgot how amazing fall is in Vermont, and how much there is to love about living here. Prime example, SMC is great about you getting out into the community for assignments. A lot of classes aren't fans of the whole "never get out and see the world" mentality of learning. This past weekend we were asked for my Multi Media Reporting class to cover an event live. My friend Suze and I decided to go to the Bee Here Now festival at Shelburne Orchards this past Sunday. Our friend Kelsie had never been, so the three of us ventured to Shelburne. Once we got their I immediately remembered how gorgeous Vermont was. Driving to the orchard you see a awesome view of the mountains near the Shelburne Museum and when you get to the orchard, its nothing short of adorable. It rained on the event but there were still people discussing how important bees are to the ecosystem along with picking some good apples! Being Kelsie's first time there, we naturally went for a tractor ride. That moment when college kids are on a tractor ride among a bunch of cute rain-boot wearing kids with bags of apples.

I mean where would you rather learn, in a classroom or out at a Bee festival at an apple orchard? I think so too. Trust me when I say during the fall, get outside. Yes when winter comes there is skiing and snowboarding to be done but for now go for a hike, pick some apples and hangout outside! Vermont is too pretty in the fall not to!

Facebook: Candice Kalil

Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary
Instagram: candicekalil31

SMC Hacks

Hey there! Going into senior year at SMC I'm a Social Ambassador which means I will be posting on this blog about anything and everything on SMC, Burlington, college and the every day life of an SMC student. If you have any questions or need any help with anything don't hesitate to ask! At the bottom of every page I post there is my social media tags and usernames if you want to reach me! (or see me post the numerous pictures of my dogs because I am literally obsessed with them!) I still feel weird saying I'm a senior, pretty sure I just lived in Lyons 4 North not that long ago. Whether this is your first semester or your coming back to campus after the summer there some important things about you should know about campus! These are things you might not have known or heard about when you first got here a few days ago:

1. Einstein's - Every semester each student has $25 on their knight card to spend on some good coffee & snacks! I would advise to try not to spend it the first week though because when finals come around you are gonna most likely want a coffee fix!

2. Musical buildings - So over the summer some offices and majors moved to different spaces so make sure to check the updated list that was put in everyone's mail box to help you find where they are. Example: Health Services is now in the Bergeron building next to the tennis courts.

3. Church Street - Church street is an awesome place to find everything from the little shops to the mall. Check this week for decoration deals such as half off tapestries!

4. FOOD - So for all you full meal planners you get unlimited swipes in the dining hall which basically means you can go to Alliot as many times in one day as you want. Rule to remember though you are not allowed to bring food out unless it is a banana or an apple, I swear if you get caught Rosemary will find you.

5. Textbooks - Never never never resort to ONLY the school store for textbooks!!! There are so many places such as Amazon, Chegg and other sites than you can buy used books or rent books to save some money!

6. Decorating - There are many a tricks to decorating the dorm rooms without damaging the walls! Command strips are a go to for hanging things up and organizing closets. Also I would recommend waiting to assess the room situation to see what containers are needed. I have used the same containers the past two years for clothes and this year I went out to get another book shelf - like container to create more storage space!

7. People make the place - SMC has so many resources for students so don't hesitate to taking advantage of them! From advisers to counselors to the different departments there to help students. Also the professors are great and are wicked helpful when you may feel like you are struggling in class or falling behind.

I would also recommend looking at Pinterest for some diy projects that are low cost and add to any room! The beginning of the year always disorganized and may feel chaotic because everything needs to get organized and come together but give it a week or two and everything will come together! Amidst everything coming together enjoy the time with friends and being back at SMC!

Facebook: Candice Kalil

Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary
Instagram: candicekalil31

Internship - Infinite Events

Coming back to Rhode Island for the summer I'm fortunate enough to have gotten the opportunity to be an intern with a Wedding & Event Coordinator. I have been interning with Infinite Events for the past few months have gotten a lot of experience in seeing what goes into coordinating weddings and events. The company which is owned by my boss, Erica Trombetti, "provides full scale professional planning and coordination for a range of events,"(source), particularly weddings and candy stations.

Being an intern, I've been able to see the behind the scenes and day-of work that goes into these events. From helping with background work in the office to seeing what goes into a full day coordination, I love that I've seen a bit of everything! At Infinite Events you can purchase different packages based on what best fits your event. For example, couples out of state tend to buy the Full-Planning Package because they are unable to attend meetings with vendors or able to come to Rhode Island often when planning their wedding. Other couples may choose just to have Day - of Coordination Package because they wanted to do a lot for the wedding themselves as far as decor, but do not want to worry about anything on their wedding day! Also as an intern, on the day of a ceremony we get to either be the bridal attendant or help with set up. Both jobs are interesting because as a bridal attendant you get to help and talk to the bride before the ceremony while setting up you get to see everything come together.

One interesting aspect I have found in working weddings is that each is unique and different being full of character. Its not the same routine every day, its different types of events and styles. Getting to see it come together on the day of is my favorite part. Even though all the same steps are taken in making the day of the event successful, I have gotten to see some beautiful spots and amazing places around the area. Its a great occupation in that the hard work pays off seeing everyone enjoy the day and every event you get to work being unique from the next.

Another part of my internship I really enjoy is the networking aspect. Every wedding and event is different where you work with different vendors and network with so many people. Rhode Island is a small state mind you but the amount of people I have gotten to meet and work with in the industry is awesome! I have also enjoyed getting to work with everyone at Infinite Events. Erica and everyone is great and I can very much tell you I do not want my internship to end! I get excited to go to every event and all that I have learned this summer I plan to take with me from here on out!

Thank you for everything Infinite Events! For an amazing summer, for helping me get my foot in the door by getting a lot of experience in the industry and for the opportunity to work with you! I am excited to head back to school and Vermont, but you know you are in a great place when you are bittersweet about leaving!

Facebook: Candice Kalil

Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary
Instagram: candicekalil31

Summer with My Favorite Beings

When I say I have a puppy radar built into my brain, I don't joke. My friends and family make fun of me all the time because whenever we walk by or run into a dog, naturally I have to ask if it likes pets. When I am at work at the restaurant its even worse. We don't allow dogs inside the restaurant because of health code but we do allow them to be tied around the outside of the area (aka Candice gets to pet them through the duration of their owner's meal). Certain people are dogs people and certain people are cat people. After you spend a solid 15 minutes with my favorite beings on this earth, you will understand why I can't help but be a dog person.

Sally Stella and Rosie!

I currently have three golden retrievers. Yes, three...crazy right? You would think it would be a mad hosue but its the most fun! We have Rosie, 8, then Sally, 2, and baby Stella who is 1. I can tell you that they are all silyl in their own ways from sleeping upside down to barking whenever a car comes in the driveway but they are the biggest loves. I always wake up to Sally popped outside my door waiting for me to wake up and head to work. The funniest part of having dogs is seeing each of them have their own personality. Rosie is the cranky grandma, Sally is the snuggler and Stella will even start talking to you while holding a toy in her mouth to get your attention.

Its something I absolutely thank my parents for having us grow up with dogs. It teaches you a lot of responsibility very young and I can't even imagine what life would be like not living with a dog. Trust me I have asked my parents many time about when they come to visit SMC next year if they could bring them! You can only imagine the separation anxiety I had sometimes living in Spain for 4 months from them.

One of the things I miss most about Spain was being near the mountains, and this past weekend I got to take care of that void. A couple friends and I went up to Lincoln, NH to do some hiking and relaxing by the river. With busy schedules we just wanted to get away for a good girls weekend. We hiked 3 peaks in two days and I can tell you one of them was one of the most exhausting hikes and getting to the top was so rewarding. It was great to get up to the mountains and have a great time with great company!

Facebook: Candice Kalil

Twitter: @CandiceLeeMary
Instagram: candicekalil31