Back at Work...

Hello everyone,

I would first like to offer my sincere apologies for my lengthy absence. If you are unaware our term ends right before Thanksgiving so I was I little overwhelmed with papers and tests. Fortunately I survived and refreshed after a nice week and a half break, plus we only have a three week sprint to Christmas. So, no complaints.

On a sad note over break one of our students, Jenni-Lyn Watson went missing from her New York home, only for her remains to be discovered this past Saturday in a local park. Jenni-Lyn was a Junior Dance major and will be seriously missed by many on campus. Through this tragedy the Mercyhurst community has held prayer services, we're sending a bus of interested students to attend her funeral, and have started fundraising for an organization that deals with missing children, which played a large role in the search for Jenni-Lyn. While I would never wish this situation to happen it truly exemplifies this community and the connections and relationships that is intertwined within it. Our thoughts and prays go out to Jenni-Lyn, her parents, family, friends, and specifically all of those who were active to the search.

While this was a very sad note to return to school on, classes are restarting so it is once again time to get back into the routine. This term I have one Mon-Wed-Fri class and three Tues-Thurs class (not the most preferred schedule). I have Crisis Communication, Philosophical Inquiry, Communication Techniques, and Catholic Symbols and Traditions.

As always I am very excited for my communication classes. Its awesome to be excited about your classes because you know that one day you are going to actually be called on to apply what you've learn. Its nice to know that I've enjoyed learning it so I can only hope that I will enjoy using it. My philosophy course I cannot say that I am excited to take, but I have to take it so it will be good to get it out of the way. As for my Catholic Symbols and Traditions class it will also be my last religion class, seeing as we have to take two, but the last religious studies course, which I also took with this professor, was truly enjoyable purely for the brilliance of this professor (Montevecchio if you were wondering), so for that I am excited.

Well, that is my update. Everything is getting back into order, but I can only imagine what this term has in store for me.

Thanks for reading,
Joe

P.S.- My birthday passed over break so I am now a proud owner of a Flip-Cam, so I hope to be able to include more videos in my posts, so keep an eye out for those!