What Week Is It Now?

After a friendly prompt from my mother (thanks Mom), I have remembered to update my blog, albeit one day late. 

Change is coming in our house and at AC.  Some of it is welcome and some is less welcome, and since everyone has a pretty strong opinion, it's been discussed a lot in the past 24 hours since we were told what is happening.

We were told last night by our Student Council reps at House Meeting that academic teaching staff will begin receiving copies of the nightly reports with names of students who are staying up late either studying or socializing.  The night reports go out every morning to houseparents and some other related staff detailing what happened in the house each night: who was in the quiet room working, until what time, who was using the dayroom after lights-out, etc.  The teaching staff would only receive a list of students staying up late working or socializing, not any of the details involved, but nearly every student is very strongly against this new policy.  I haven't actually met a student who is in favor of it, and it was clear at our house meeting that most of us find it really unfair.  Whether intentionally or not, impressions of us will be made by the teachers, and as a student body we generally feel that our life outside of classes is our own and when we choose to study is our own affair.  That's the overall sentiment.  I don't have a major problem with the new policy, but I think it will cause a lot more stress than any positive benefits that would come out of teachers having this information.

On the good side, my friend Sara Al-Masri was elected to be our new House rep to Student Council, so she'll be inheriting this lovely issue.  Also, we started Secret Santa within our house, so that will be very exciting!

One thing I'm looking forward to at the end of this week is Shared Planet Conference.  About 60 of us are going to Oxford for the weekend to particpate in a two-day-long conference meant to bring different colleges and student populations together to plan and discuss initiatives at our respective campuses.  It's basically a mixing bowl of ideas that we hope to later adapt to our own schools and implement later.  Portions of it remind me of our Diploma Period, which was fantastic, so I am very excited.

We have another Diploma Period coming up next week at the end of the week....this one is entitled Critical Engagement.  We haven't received many details yet, but the word from our second years is that it was a great time and really worthwhile.

We are in the process of planning an American Thanksgiving celebration---I'll be sorry not to spend the holiday with either the Baltimore family or the Jacksonville family branch, but AC Thanksgiving should be a fun bonding session with the American national group.  Speaking of Baltimore, we just got word that they beat the Steelers in a final-8-seconds-touchdown yesterday....my seconod year Eliza and I were upset.  I like the Ravens, but the Steelers are my team, so it was a bummer to see them get beat again.  We can sometimes feel a little isolated from American daily life here, so it's good to get a glimpse once in a while.

There is a double-showering-birthday celebration for two of my lovely second years in Morgannwg tonight: Happy Birthday to Penelope and Vincent!  I think they are both turning 20.  It should be lots of fun!

That's all for now...please everyone enjoy their week!

Madi