Student Blog

What is happening around campus in February

This month on campus has been really fun. My friends and I have been attending hockey games here and I'm not trying to brag...but our hockey team is phenomenal! When we returned from break, there was a skating rink built in front of the Wise Campus Center that has been available to anyone at anytime. A couple Fridays ago, there was fun activities that included skating, music, and even the restaurant Cornerstone came to serve meals. Even when it is cold out, Norwich finds ways to have fun! Today the weather isn't too cold or too hot which makes good hiking weather! After classes today my friends and I are going to go on a hike. There are so many beautiful trails around!

Spring Semester

Hello all,

I intentionally took December and January off so that I could focus on finals and enjoy my break.

I'm happy to say that I did both successfully. I had to come back earlier on my break so that I could participate in MCW's Ice Trek, a week of practical skills training. I learned how to downhill ski and ice climb. Well, in terms of skiing, I learned how to not absolutely wipe out when flying downhill, and I figured out how to (kind of) turn.

Good enough for me!

Ice climbing was an absolute blast. It's very intense and you really have to focus on how you move your body. This semester will be difficult in terms of testing that I have in order to earn my rams head and gain the title of an Assault Climber in the company. Hopefully it all goes well, but usually when I put my mind to something, I don't stop till I succeed.

Here's a cool action shot of me climbing:

Benefits of Norwich

So there are a lot of benefits of going to Norwich, today I am going to touch on an event that occurred to me today! Today I was officially invited to speak at a conference on behalf of Norwich and my club VIPA (Violence Intervention Peer Advocacy). The conference is in New Orleans and will be fully funded for me by Norwich.

This is a wonderful opportunity for myself to expand my social networking and to learn more about the sexual aggression at other schools. It will also be fun to see the city and new places. I have never seen new Orleans so this will defiantly be a new and wonderful experience. Norwich gave me this experience and I hope to make them proud by representing them at the conference.

Well that was just something I wanted to share with you guys! Until next time guys!

Life of an RA: Part 6

In honor of Halloween, here's a look at some of our Res Life October programs to get in the spirit!

 

 

My finished haunted house-inspired jack-o-lantern. Unfortunately, it rubbed against my jacket before the paint was dry. Now my pumpkin AND jacket are ruined!

 

 

I dressed up as a pop art character for the event. A lot of kids learned what pop art is that night...maybe I should've just been a princess.

 

My Co-Ra Danielle and I extremely focused on our pumpkin carvings. We had 40 pumpkins brought in for this event!

 

Here is our floor's door decorating contest winners. They'll be receiving a prize from me and Danielle!

 

 

Trick-or-treaters from the area came to visit, so we decided to make a photo area for them to take pictures. They loved it! My finished haunted house-inspired jack-o-lantern. Unfortunately, it rubbed against my jacket before the paint was dry. Now my pumpkin AND jacket are ruined! My finished haunted house-inspired jack-o-lantern. Unfortunately, it rubbed against my jacket before the paint was dry. Now my pumpkin AND jacket are ruined!

 

Life of an RA: Part 5

The RAs had a blast this weekend. We participated in Harry Potter Nite by stuffing our own Harry Potter animals, watching scary movies and going on a Residence Life team adventure! We went to a cider mill, mini golfing, Cabot Cheese, Lake Champlain Chocolates, and Applebee's.

 

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Life of an RA: Part 4

RA Danielle and I put on another awesome WOW! (What's on Wednesday!) event this week! It was called "The Roommate Game." Based off of the show The Newlywed Game, residents had to answer questions about their roommate (or best friend) to earn points. Whichever pair earned the most points won a prize!

Resident Thomas displays his answer to the question, "What adjective would you use to describe yourself?" He and his roommate got matching answers!

Residents and best friends Justine and Jenna won this helpful "Roommate Survival Kit" for getting 1st place!

I made a pretty cool powerpoint presentation to display the questions for the roommates to answer. It was even set to the theme song of the original Newlywed Game

Keeping Up

Hello all! I'm here again live from the Hill.

Another busy Sunday passes us by, and I'm watching the Pats game as I write. (You just can't keep the Patriots down!)

On Monday, we held Echo Taps for 9/11. The entire Corps of Cadets (and many Civilian students) silents form on the UP and remain silent for the rest of the night.

Here's a clip that only briefly describes how much the day means to Norwich students:

Those in the video marching incredibly slow is actually how fast a Vigil Tour is supposed to be marched. The video is not slowed down. From midnight to 9:30, senior cadets take 30 minutes for each vigil tour in rain or shine. The morning consisted of heavy thunderstorms. It just goes to show the dedication to honoring the victims 15 years ago.

In other news, I recently started training with Mountain Cold Weather Company (MCW for short). For those who begin training for the first time, they're referred to as "Greensticks". Those who have completed their first year of training earn their black hat, which distinguishes them from other around the hill. I wanted to start MCW last year, but my hardest class was German, a 6 credit course which required a lot of my focus, so I told myself to wait until this year. Living up to the promise I made myself, here I am. Greenstick Clarke for the year. It's surprisingly similar to rookdom in the sense that I'm surrounded by a lot of first year students. Another reason is because I'm required to greet any blackhat I see on the Hill, and sound off with the MCW motto "Climb to Conquer".

MCW focuses on mountaineering, rescue, and combat in the mountains. In 1947, after seeing how devastating the fights were in the German Mountains in WWII, MCW was founded at Norwich to train troops in basic mountaineering skills in order to prepare them for the future. What better place to replicate a frigid wasteland than deep in the valley of the Green Mountains at Norwich? So far in training, I've learned roughly 10 knots which I'm expected to master.

All it takes is practice.

This weekend was Alumni Weekend, where Norwich alums return to the Hill once more to relive memories with their friends from years past. If there's one thing to be said, Norwich friendships last a lifetime. Members from the class of '66 hugged each other like they were 20 years old again. Norwich men and women will be young at heart forever.

In summary, it was a great week. Each day at Norwich poses a challenge, but you need to overcome them. That's what makes you grow up.

Always a hoot.

Hitting the Ground Running

Friends and Family,

I'm back. After a long hiatus from my blog due to time crunches and focusing more on my academics, I'm happy to start my sophomore year here at Norwich.

In February, I was recognized into the Corps of Cadets and was officially a Cadet Private. It was a long and stressful road from August 23rd to February 7th, but I'm all the better man for it. Here's a few great pictures of me at the end of the year with my rook family.

I've formed many friendships here, and it makes coming back to Norwich that much better.

What am I up to this year? Well for one, I'm now a Cadet Corporal with 2 jobs in the Corps of Cadets. For one, I'm a CAM (Corporal Academic Mentor), and I'll be helping this years rooks with their studies and general questions about rookdom and the school. After all, here at Norwich, academics come first! I'm also 4th Battalions S3 corporal, which means I help create the operation orders for the recruits in 4th battalion. Classes started this past Monday, and I'm already liking my schedule. Most of my days are geared towards my major and I feel like I'm really involved in my major. I arrived at school in time for Rook Week in order to assist the Corps with training the recruits.

I have to say, watching from the other side is very, very strange. Seeing the rooks square around campus, listening to them recite their "rookie knowledge" (facts and important details about the school and our history), and generally observing how they act is something I'll have to get used to. Seeing my cadre around campus is always a pleasure. There is a mutual respect between us, and I look up to them and still ask for advice because of how well they trained my freshman platoon. This year, I'm living with my rook brothers, Nardini and Kwon. We are all psyched to be living together and I'm sure this year will be great, as we can keep eachother in check with academics and fitness.

For any rooks that are reading this: There is hope. You will get tired, you will get angry, but remember this: WE ALL WENT THROUGH IT. YOU CAN TOO.

I'm glad to be back here writing again.

It's always a hoot.

Who I am With You

SO week nine has been extremely fun and exciting with REGIMENTAL BALL, I had the best date ever. Let’s first start off with the academic week, I honestly hate spanish but I am really starting to get it! I am a double major but thinking about dropping one and picking up something else. My workload has really started to pick up but it is nothing I can't handle. English is my passion and I really love writing for that class.

So typically Thursday’s are my relaxed easy day, I get to eat two whole meals at ease. One with MGK (Maroon and Gold Key), I want to be a host soooo bad it kills me. The second with NCF (Norwich Christian Fellowship), which is the best time of the week besides Sunday. During these meetings I get to be Mary Beth not RCT DAVIS. After these meetings I get to go attend CASA (Community Against Sexual Aggression), which is a great club to be involved in. We try to prevent all kinds of sexual harassment on the campus. I intend on getting my victim’s advocate certificate, which makes conversations with me private and confidential.

On Friday I volunteer at the Hedding Community Soup Kitchen which makes me feel good to help people out and know that I am making a difference one spoonful at a time (pun intended). This week on the way back the volunteers and myself sang a few gospel songs that just made the day go swell. Once back to barracks my platoon went to see Sinister two, a great movie that needs a little bit better plot line.

On Saturday was the Regimental ball. My rook sisters and I had to practice a song to sing to our dates. We attempted Hills by the Weekend but let's just say things didn't go over too well when we actually performed. My date sang build me up buttercup while on one knee holding my hand. Needless to say his performance was better than mine. The first half of the event is formal and that is when we all dance very proper, like ballroom dance. The second half is informal and we dance however we please. They had a photo booth which me and Matthew had to take pictures in. I hope to add them to my blog eventually. This was the first time the rook females got the chance to get dolled up and some people had a hard time to recognizing who everyone was because they had never seen us in make up, with our hair down.

This week’s title is Who I Am With You by Chris Young. Matthew and I danced to this song while we both sang it. This was as very cute moment. I am so glad I had such an amazing time and my date made me the happiest girl in the world. Matthew you’re the best and thank you for being you since I know you are the first one to read my blog.

A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.

-Colin Powell

Beautiful Day

Week 5 can’t believe that? Seems like only yesterday I was being dropped off for rook week. Speaking of being dropped off it has really set in that I miss my family. So this week during my free time I will teach my Rook sisters how to swim. Out of the seven of us three can not swim. Since I am a pretty good swimmer, I will teach them how to swim. We had an informational cheer meeting this week and practice for tryouts started on Friday.

This weekend I also have the first MGK social on Sunday, we are going to watch a Vermont football. We can sit at ease with the MGK members and enjoy the game. Also on Sundays we can sleep in until 0830 which is always amazing. On Saturday’s if there are home football games the whole regiment will march down and watch the game. Every time we score, the rooks do push ups. On Friday my rook sister won regimental CO and some of our restrictions were taken away like: no asking to take hands to apples, we get to call jodies, and the males in our platoon don’t have to shave but twice a day now.

Do you guys have any suggestions on what you would like to see me write about? I am open to all questions and will get back to you as quickly as possible in a comment or respond to you in my next blog. Don’t be afraid to comment, I am a generally nice person.

So it is that time when the guys are starting to ask girls to regi ball and my rook brother was approached by a male from another platoon trying to intimidate him into not asking his rook sister to the Ball so now we are at war with them. 4-1 is the best and we will stand tall no matter the opponent.

This week’s title is Beautiful day by U2 because even though rooks continue to go through rookdom if you just stop and look around outside (don't let the cadre catch you) things are beautiful. I always look outside my window and enjoy the small things.

In order to succeed we must first believe that we can.

-Nikos Kazantzakis