may updates

 I suppose it has been a while! While my lifestyle of running, cooking, and bits and pieces of school and projects hasn't changed much, a lot has happened and spring has truly sprung! It's truly that season, as the goslings are out and I have been hissed at by protective parent geese. Hurrah!

Some notes of late:

Last class for one of my education classes yesterday! We had a little off-campus party with Exodus, our community partner and the host organization for our formerly incarcerated classmates. It was so cute, and the first party I've had in a long time (because of COVID...) We all got little certificates and there were balloons and cake . And it was so fun to finally meet the non-Vassar students and chat a little bit :) This class has definitely been a learning experience and motivates me to more actively seek out relationship building with those whose life experiences are vastly different from my own.

Monday was also my last real class for BIO, where we finished up our beer project presentations. So now all that's left on my academic to-do list is our field trip to the brewery and a class party with my other EDUC class....so basically, no actual academic work, hehe. Well, I have a 8 min thesis presentation but I'm not stressed about it! Feeling very, very relaxed and hoping to diffuse the stress of my fellow students as we head into finals season by undertaking baking projects to share sweetness and spread joy!

The weather is really warming up! 80s and sun and the occasional thunderstorm or sun shower. I'm enjoying leaning into the summery part of my wardrobe, but displeased with the uptake in allergens that is plaguing me :(

My latest art modeling sessions have been for the Painting class, and I'm posing as a young mom with a baby doll in a toys r us stroller. LOL

Creative projects abound! I learned some basic InDesign and Illustrator skills to help design my piece for our asian student magazine...it's a collection of games and activities inspired by childhood gifts. I'm also collaborating with a friend for Public Access Magazine, writing about ~Inheritance~ through the frameworks of bodies and plants/seeds.

Cooking projects! It's foraging season, so I've been playing with garlic mustard pesto and stir-fries, as well as dandelion salads (dried cherries and tahini are 2 of my favorite toppings). I also enjoyed playing with the leftover koji from my bio project with some homemade misos and amazake! And I've begun brewing kombucha too. Other than that, just playing around with other bits and pieces of baking fun...recently made blintzes and cheesecake with the babysitting kiddos to celebrate Shavuot, and made some zucchini bread as a gift for my EDUC professor....and birthday/end of semester baking is on the horizon!

One of my big projects for the semester, the Critical Ethnic Studies conference, happened last weekend of April and was a success! Lots of conversations about how to rethink academia, build coalitions and solidarity with community outside of campus, and create spaces of belonging, not just learning. Really grateful for the experience and have many reflections/wishes for next steps, but it's a little strange because since I'm graduating I can't do too much more in this campus space.

Oh, I also officially turned in my thesis!

And now for the photo-sharing portion, to catch any other notable things that I forgot...