Valentina's Nightmare

Wednesday night I attended an event called Valentina's Nightmare, which showed a documentary about the Rwanda genocide, and the survivors like Valentina. Valentina was a Tutsi, whose family escaped to a church in Nyarubuye from the Hutu killers. Valentina watched her father and brother murder in front of her eyes. Her mother was also killed, but not in front of Valentina.  Valentina hid under her mother's and other dead bodies for 43 days. Her hand was had been chopped off when she tried to shield her head from the machete of a Hutu. She had a part of her head chopped off when trying to shield it, and was thought dead, but she lived. Watching the documentary, she looked so angry, and upset, but looking at her today, she looks so happy. I wanted to cry through out the event, because it was amazing how much she went through, and the people of the Rwanda genocide went through. And, here I was looking at this strong woman, and I thought, if she can get through anything, so can I.




Before:

After:

For more information about Valentina's story, look to the right at links.

My Personal Feelings About Pine Manor

I am really happy that I came to college, because I feel as if college as opened up my life, and I am experience new things, that I would never experienced if I stayed at home, but sometimes I feel alone on this campus. I feel different than everybody else on this campus, and sort of like an outcast, even thought its suppose to be a diverse college. Some people see to only care about partying 24/7, and my main focus is on school work. I love the fact that the classes are small, and my biggest classes are Science and Society class, and Introduction to Mass Communications class. I miss my mom, who has traveled to Nashville and now resides with my sister, but I have to grow up, and college is there to allow for my growth. My favorite part of the day here is morning, where I get up early to eat breakfast, and I always get an omelet.

I enjoyed all my classes, and I am having so much fun, but why do I still feel like an outsider?

Dreaming a New America

Hey, its Amber again! Yesterday, I went to an AMAZING presentation at the President's Dining Hall, in the Campus Center, where there was a guest speaker name Dr. Vincent Harding, who was a civil rights leader, and speech writer for Martin Luther King. He is 79 years old, but doesn't look it. There were at lot of people there, and it was really fun, and I learn a lot about people. It was more of a conversation, than a speech. He asked questions about where every body's grandmother was from, and he talk about how young people nowadays have to step up and take leadership. He said that now, especially, is the time for women to step up, and take power.  I already knew that Pine Manor was a diverse school, but hearing from people's different backgrounds, reminded me again about how diverse our school is. I had to wait for around 45 minutes for an autograph and picture, but it was worth it.

Cheese!

Interview With Fellow Pine Manor Student

Amanda Harris is a friend of mine who also attends Pine Manor College, and agreed to this interview. She is a bright 21 year old transfer student from Lincoln Tech, who is a first year and a sophomore here at Pine Manor. She double majors in SPS (Social Political Science), and psycology. She is uncertain whether or not she wants to go to law school in the future.

Me:  Why did you decide to come here to Pine Manor College?

Amanda: Good education.

Me: Do you like it here?

Amanda: Its okay, its not what I expected it to be.

Me: What do you mean?

Amanda: I expected it to be more challenging, and stricter. I thought there would be more clubs, and kinda of like a girl sorority. I thought there would be more of a "sisterhood" here, where we would all be more connected to each other.

Me: Do you like your classes?

Amanda: Yes.

Me: Do you like your professors?

Amanda: Yeah, my favorite is Cromwell.

Me: Do you like your build, and people on your floor?

Amanda: Yes

Me: What is your best advice for future students?

Amanda: My advice would be to have fun, but don't have too much fun where you lose focus on what you came here to do. And, no matter what you are doing, give it you're all and don't settle for less.

My Professors and Classes

Honestly, I have no clue what I want to major in, so that why I have 4 very different classes, and I like all 4 of my classes.

My first class is The World is A Village with Professor Cromwell, which is on Mondays and Wednesdays. We are required to do yoga for roughly 5-10 minutes at the start of the class, majority of the time. I don't mind yoga, but when you have to get up at 7:15 am in the morning, to shower, brush teeth, get dressed, and then eat breakfast, you are kinda of tired. Sometimes the yoga awakes me, sometimes it doesn't. We learn about how the world is connected, and recently we have learned about the Native Americans. I knew a little about the tragedy against the Native Americans, but I have learned so much more, like how they are often depicted as war like, and savage, but in reality all they were trying to do was protect their lands.

My second class, which is also on Mondays and Wednesdays, is Understanding Business in a Changing World, with Professor Tweedly, at 1:00 pm. Currently, we are working on a simulation, called BizCafe, which seems to be cool. I am in a group with 4 other people, and we have manage our own cafe till the end of the semester. There is a lot of work involved, and math, which is something I despise! I hate math with a passion, and I didn't expect for math to be involved in this.

My third class, which is on Tuesdays and Thursdays, is with Professor or Dr. Finkel, who is an older woman, but seem brilliant to me. It is called Science and Society. I don't think many of my peers like her, or her class, but I find the class to be interesting, and I believe that she is a harsh grader, but I think it will only help with my writings in the future.

My last class, is a night class on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with Professor Dumas, called Introduction to Mass Communication, at 6:00 pm. Some people hate the thought of having a night class, but I don't mind it at all. Professor Dumas is an executive producer of the WBZ news. I have learned so much in his class, and I got a 100% on our first quiz, which was easy. The class teaches about the 8 types of media, and I have increased my media literacy, since entering the class.

Around Pine Manor

Hi again, it's Amber! I just wanted to show some pictures of Pine Manor. I don't have all, but I think these pictures will be sufficent enough.  We have a beautiful campus, and some (not all) the girls are friendly. AI students dorm in the West Village, and Pine Manor students dorm in the South and East Villages.

This is the Halden Building, where I have my 8:30 am class on Mondays and Wednesdays. Its a first year seminar class called, The World is A Village with Professor Cromwell.

This is the Rosemary Ashby Campus Center, which is open 24/7. There is a dining hall, mailing room, common area, and much more here. I also have a class here called Understanding Business in a Changing
World.

    Another place at the Campus Center for people to chill. It has 5 working computers. (The 6th one doesn't work)

This a common area located in the Campus Center. Many students come here to watch television or chill before class.

             This is the dinning hall at 7:45 am in the morning, when everybody is asleep except for me!

                                             This is the breakfast I had. Yummy.

                                 This is the outside to Annenberg Library, where I am often at.

                       Inside the library, two students are working diligently, so that they can get good grades.

This is outside of the Communication Center, where I have a class, called Introduction to Mass Communication at.

This is the Dane Science Building, where I have Science and Society class on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1:00 pm.

This is the Ferry Administration Building, where the Admission Office, Financial Aid Office, and other offices are located at.

This is the East Village.

This is my neighbor next door's room. My neighbors are Ariel and Amanda. Amanda looks like she is sleeping, but she is actually talking on the phone!

                                         That's my roommate, Sheila's side of the room.

This is my side of the room. I live in East 5, 204.

                                         More up close side of my room, and my pink bear!

Why Pine Manor?

Hi, I'm Amber S. and I am a freshman at Pine Manor College, located at Chestnut Hill, MA. I am a graduate of Boston Latin School, which is the oldest public school in the United States. I have been at Pine Manor College for a month and a half, and I am enjoying my time here. Honestly, in some sense, I didnt care what college I went to, but in some sense it did matter. Pine Manor offered what I needed; a warm environment, small classes, and a community that was close knitted. At my Boston Latin School, I had a lot of support from teachers and guidence counselors, but there was over 2, 500 students, and I believe its easier at Pine Manor for proffessors to keep track of their students. My dad, was impressed with the college, and also believed that it would be a good environment for me. My sister, who is 41, went to Simmons College, and said that she enjoyed her time there, and I figured that an all-girl school would  be calming.

Pine Manor was founded in 1911 (I read the whole handbook the first day I got here), and the school colors are green and white. Althought it is a small school, it is very competive when it comes to sports. I always see girls running off to soccer, or volleyball pratice. According to the USnews, Pine Manor is ranked among the most diverse campuses in the world for the past 8 years. I think the diversity part attracted me to the most to the college, and I am happy I am attending here.