Some exciting news!

I got an e-mail last night informing me that I have been chosen as a UMaine student ambassador for 2009-2010! I interviewed for the position last month and was really looking forward to hearing back--so I was definitely VERY excited about the outcome! The picture is Tour Guides and Student Ambassadors from a couple years ago. For those that don't know, I'll explain a little bit about what being a student ambassador means. At UMaine we have a very active New Student Programs office, which runs programs throughout the entire year that focus on recruitement and then welcoming future students. As many of you know, I have been a telecounselor for New Student Programs all year and have really enjoyed my job there, which is one of the main reasons I decided to apply for the Student Ambassador position. Student Ambassadors run new student orientations in the summer and then they also run fall welcome weekend. So, for three weeks this summer I'll be very busy doing training and then 2 weeks of orientations. Orientations are two days long and we have a number of them throughout those 2 weeks, which are divided up by colleges. The SA's plan and then execute everything for those orientations. Here's an idea of the itinerary for an orientation at UMaine:

12:00 - 3:30 p.m.	ORIENTATION CHECK IN, INFO FAIR & MEETINGS Check-in at registration desk Check into residence hall Get your MaineCard student ID picture taken Register your keys with Public Safety Textbook reservation form Parking decal application Campus Tours Meeting for Honors College Students & Parents Meeting for Student Athletes & Parents Meeting for Transfer Students Meeting for New Commuter Students
3:30 p.m.	ORIENTATION OPENING SESSIONS Hearty Maine Hello, Money Matters, Agenda Review, Team Maine
4:30 p.m.	Breaking the Ice
5:45 p.m.	Planet UMaine
6:15 p.m.	Bear Fare Cookout
7:30 p.m.	Computers on Campus
8:00 p.m.	Making College Count
9:15 p.m.	Reality U!
10:30 p.m.	Bonfire/Res Hall Activities
DAY 2
7:00 a.m.	Check-out of Residence Hall
7:45 a.m.	Breakfast
9:00 a.m.	Class Scheduling & Advising
10:00 a.m.	The Finish Line

I remember my orientation fondly and it really does help with the nerves that come along with starting college. I am VERY excited and look forward to welcoming the class of 2013 (wow) to the University of Maine!

Later, gators!

Gearing up for tour...

Hi! I am home for spring break right now. Yesterday was the last day of classes, and I only had one, so I left campus around 1 to head home. I'll be home for this first week of the 2-week break and then the second week will be spent touring with the University Singers. I'm really, really excited. It's a week of performing with a bunch of people I love! :) It's a pretty heavy load of performing, actually. We average 3 concerts a day and then the last day (Saturday) is spent as a free day and night in Montreal! WOO!
Here's what the schedule looks like for that week:

MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2009
9:00AM – Lee Academy, Lee, ME
1:00PM – Wiscasset High School, Wiscasset, ME
7:00PM – Windham High School, Windham, ME

TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2009
9:00AM – Windham High School, Windham, ME
1:00PM – Noble High School, Berwick, ME
7:00PM – St. Christopher’s Catholic Church, York, ME

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2009
9:00AM – York Middle School, York, ME
7:00PM – Winnisquam Regional High School, Tilton, NH

THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2009
9:00AM – Winnisquam Regional High School, Tilton, NH
1:00PM – Retreat, Vergennes, VT
7:00PM – Vergennes High School, Vergennes, VT

FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2009
1:00PM – Champlain Valley Union High School, Hinesburg, VT
7:00PM – Unitarian Universal Church, Burlington, VT

SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 2009
9:00AM – Leave For Montreal
12:00PM – Arrive at Hotel in Montreal
1:00pm – FREE TIME

SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2009
9:00AM – Leave For Maine
4:00PM – Arrive at UMAINE!!!!

So, as seen--it's a pretty intense schedule! We stay in host homes, except for the last 2 nights--we have hotels in Burlington and Montreal, but the rest of the nights are spent in host homes. My tour-buddy (the person who stays with me in the host homes) is my friend, Liz, so it should be a really good time! I am very excited and I'll be sure to post lots of pictures when I get back! Woo! :)

Later, gators!

The worst pies in London come to UMaine!

Today was a really exciting day! "Sweeney Todd" the touring Broadway production is going to be at the CCA tonight and I have tickets! On top of that, though, the lead (Sweeney Todd) is a man named David Janes..shown in the picture below:

and he is a graduate of UMaine as well as an alumni of the University Singers!! So, today he came into Singers and chatted with us! He's absolutely hilarious and it was so much fun being able to meet him and hear his perspective on the performing world and he came from right where I am now! It's a refreshing feeling! :) So, that was really exciting. I have really awesome seats (which is amazing because I just got my tickets today and other people have had theirs for months!) But I got rush tickets for $5 and I am sitting in the 8th row center. Woo! I'm really excited, I'll let ya'll know how the show is!

Gotta get going! :) Later, gators!

A fun game!

Okay, so I totally stole this idea off of someone else's blog, but I think it's fun!

Rules: Go to Google and type in your name followed by "needs" and then see what 10 funny things come up. Here is mine--

1.) Sarah needs a cold shower. (Well, I prefer hot ones.)
2.) Sarah needs your manly vote. (Uh..what?)
3.) Sarah needs more love. (True dat...don't we all?)
4.) Sarah needs a Wii. (I WOULD LOVE A WII!)
5.) Sarah needs batteries. (You can never have enough.)
6.) Sarah needs a home. (I have like 3 homes...I'm all set on the home frontier.)
7.) Sarah needs to lean on her man. (Well, it'd help if I had a man to lean on.)
8.) Sarah needs money. (Yes, yes I do.)
9.) Sarah needs hugs. (Always!)
10.) Sarah needs to lose weight. (Sigh. Stop calling me fat!)

later, gators!

Come look at the freaks!

There's a good reason I haven't written in eons. Tonight is the first night I've had off in months. Seriously! And it's all because of Side Show, the musical I am a part of right now. We opened this past weekend and it went so well! It's the story of true conjoined twins, Daisy and Violet Hilton who worked freak shows and eventually vaudeville in the 30s. I've heard nothing but positive reviews from all of my friends who have seen it, so if you have the chance to make it up this way I recommend seeing it. I've had a blast. We have 4 shows this weekend--Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and I can't wait to have another full weekend of it. I love doing musical theatre soo much. I made a decision a long time ago that no matter where I end up and what my career is I WILL find a community theater near me and I will continue doing musical theatre because it's what I love to do more than anything.

As for everything else, all is well. The musical has pretty much been taking over my life, but tonight was a nice break. Classes are going well..there's less than 2 weeks until spring break! CRAZY! I feel like I JUST got back from Christmas break. Time fliiiiiiies. It'll be nice to be home for a week and then I have Singers tour for a week. We end in Montreal...woo! :) It should be a fantastic time and I am very excited!

Alright..bed time! More soon! :) Later, gators!

Millions of people...

Yesterday was a wonderful day. Historical, emotional, and full of hope. There was a feeling of jubilation on the UMaine campus that radiated throughout the day and into the night as we all soaked in the fact that we have a new president; one we can believe in and feel proud to support. It hasn't been that way in 8 years. 8 years ago I was 13 years old. It's been a long time coming. 

I was so proud to call myself an American yesterday and know that I was a part of making history within this great nation. On that note, I think those that say that yesterday wasn't historical for the fact that Obama is black are ignorant. Of course, there are many other factors to why yesterday was a momentous occasion, but the fact that we FINALLY have made strides with racism in this country is something to be enormously proud of. It's okay to be proud of that, it's okay to focus on the fact that he is a black man with a black family. No, he isn't fully black, but have we ever had a president with any color in him at all? No, we haven't. Wake up, people...his race isn't what makes him, but it's what makes me proud of this country. It's okay to be proud of that and to focus on that because it's something we can finally feel good about. We are getting somewhere, America, and there's absolutely no reason to feel like we can't think about that. Anyway, I just had to get that out because I am so PROUD of this fact and PROUD to know that racism may actually get its ugly butt out the door. I stand fearlessly behind this leader and I can feel the love that this country has for him. I am enormously happy. 

On another another note, my voice teacher let me skip my lesson to watch the inauguration. I wish I could say the same about my theory teacher, but no such luck. We got out of theory at 11:50 and then Kate, Emily, Cassie, and myself RAN and I mean RAN back to our friend, Karin's dorm to watch him be sworn in and to see his first speech as our new president. It was joyous. After he was sworn in you could hear the cheers up and down the halls of Penobscot Hall. The very few on this campus who weren't proud of Obama yesterday were silenced by the cheers of hope and happiness and pride. It was definitely something I'll remember forever.

Later, gators.

Crossing back over...

Hi everyone. Again, my apologies for the lack in entries. I will try harder this semester to update. I am back at school this week for rehearsals for the musical. I've been crashing at Alyssa's place for the week since we're practically the only ones up here right now.
I have some news...my MacBook died the other night. I knew it was coming. It had been acting up lately and I've had it for 2 1/2 years. It's sort of a known fact that Macs don't last all that long. Most everyone I know that has had one has had trouble with it. So, I've decided to cross back over the PC-side. I ordered a Dell Inspiron 1525 and I'm pretty excited about it. Woo. It should be here in a couple weeks or so. Until then I am going to be using my dad's laptop. I have an online class this coming semester, so it's kind of important that I have a computer to use.
Alright, well I still haven't showered today, so I should get on that. More soon!
Later, gators!

PS: HAPPY NEW YEAR!