Annie's Senior Year Experience

COMMENCEMENT!

Annie Bierman — Sun, 08 May 2011 08:00:55 +0000

May 7th, 2011 aka McKendree graduation day!

I graduated yesterday from college. Still a bit shocked that it’s all over. The last four years have been absolutely amazing, I have learned so much.

My family (and friends) came to share my day with me, and it was especially meaningful for my family as I am the first to graduate college.

Many “Congratulations” and hugs from the entire event– it was incredibly surreal. Some things are anitclimactic in life, but this certainly wasn’t. It felt amazing to hear my name called, and especially hear Magna Cum Laude after my name.

I still can’t believe it happened. Goodbye’s are certainly difficult and it will really hit me sometime later. But change is coming, regardless. No matter where I go in life, McKendree and my McKendree family will always remain in my heart. “Students Once, Alumni Forever”

Annie Bierman– McKendree Alum Class of 2011, incoming UNL Grad Student — signing off.

It’s Just a Matter of Time Now.

Annie Bierman — Sun, 01 May 2011 10:00:27 +0000

SOOOOO much has happened in the last couple of weeks and this next week is certainly no different.

Last week, I finally went to the PCA/ACA conference in San Antonio. I was not too happy about going to San Antonio, but I actually absolutely loved the Riverwalk. Everything was so chill and accessible! A definite future weekend getaway spot. I presented my paper on Alice in Wonderland on Saturday and was able to attend many other sessions throughout the four-day conference. Besides sessions though, we went to La Villita, which is a center of artisans and crafts, the Alamo, a barge trip on the San Antonio river, shopping, and relaxing by the pool. The trip to San Antonio was, for me, a great networking opportunity and learning experience. I came home with many more ideas about future papers and new contacts to collaborate with in the coming years including book editors, professors, graduate students, and other undergraduate students. A professor, who saw me the month before in Pittsburgh for the Sigma Tau Delta (English International Honor Society) conference, came up and talked to me! I think the absolute best part of the entire trip was that, just from my paper title, a graduate student came specifically to hear my research! I was quite flattered and proud that my research (and researching experience from McKendree) were able to help me professionally before I’m even a graduate student.

Ashley and I at the Alamo!!!

Last week was a very tumultuous week for me. I finally relienquished all of my positions. It felt so weird and scary and relieving all at the same time. I’m leaving everything in good hands, especially SGA. I hope they continue with the successes we had this past year and run with it!!!

Yesterday was a busy day! I spoke in front of McKendree’s BOT for the last time and took an exclusive tour of the new dorms being built on campus. So behind the scenes that most of the walls aren’t up yet and we had to climb temporary stairs outside of the building to get into the building. Might I add that we went to the third floor. So totally cool. On campus, it was also Spring Fling. I wasn’t able to do a whole lot at Spring Fling because of time constraints, but I did get to see a little friend of mine and take a complimentery photo with her!

Yesterday was also my sorority’s annual Formal. It’s a fun night once a year where my sorority spends an evening together dressed up, dancing, and eating together. It was an awesome time and a great way to go out on a happy note. I love all of my sisters and our times together. I am certainly going to miss each and every one of them. My date this year was this year’s foreign exchange student from a French business school. She had never been to anything like prom, so I thought this would be perfect for her!

Next blog post will be my last! I GRADUATE next Saturday!!!!

Culmination of 4 Years of Hard Work: Honor’s Day!

Annie Bierman — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 05:55:28 +0000

Since I last wrote you, I’ve returned from Pittsburgh, gave two speeches, wrote 6 papers, and much more. It’s been quite busy as always, but today was one of those days that was dedicated to my efforts. Today was McKendree’s Honor’s Convocation. Academically achieving students, one from each discipline, are awarded honors. Earlier this semester, I found out that I was to receive the English honors. During the ceremony, I was also awarded one of the recipients of Who’s Who Among American College and University students. It was quite an honor and it was amazing to have my mom, sister, semi-sister, peers, faculty, and staff members share my achievements with me. More than anything else this year, this was the ceremony I was waiting for.

I declared a grad school this week. The final decision is: University of Nebraska-Lincoln! I am one of the newest Huskers. There’s a lot of corn there I hear. It’s quite alright. I’m pretty used to corn. I chose UNL because a week ago, they offered me an assistantship with tuition remission and health insurance coverage. When comparing UNL and WVU, UNL just simply won. I’m so excited to start classes, work with the faculty, and just start a new life! With this, I also chose my classes for the Fall! It’s amazing that I only take English classes–two British Lit and two general English topic ones. Super pumped!

Last couple of weeks update:

The play went really well! Stage make-up and hair was a bit outrageous for my liking. I had to put white spray in my hair every night and wear incredibly heavy make-up—not to mention the awesome old lady dress I wore. I’m super glad I had the chance to be a part of the play, and it is a decision I will never regret!

I also had the chance to meet up with a couple of my favorite English people—two alums from McKendree who graduated two years ago. We usually get together every couple of months, but this time we had waited a bit longer, so it was awesome to meet up with them!

McKendree, as a community, also participated in some efforts to support the Japanese people affected by the earthquake recently. We made health kits one week and then another week, SGA helped in having the McKendree community sign a large banner that sent thoughts and prayers to our friends at Technos College—a school with a long-standing relationship with McKendree.

The Bearcat Cave finally opened! The grand opening ceremony last Friday went wonderfully! Many people turned out, and now, every time I walk by, it makes me so happy to see someone use the space!

Last Saturday, I woke up early to help with Special Olympics. It is always a moving and inspirational experience, but all of the athletes were amazing. Another girl and I got to be the escorts for the athletes with Cerebal Palsy. Talk about a crazy fun group of people to hang out with for the day. I also went to the installation ceremony (along with Meagan) for the newest sorority on campus—Tri Sigma. It was a very nice ceremony in general, but all of the women getting inducted were that much more excited to be there.

On Sunday, it was KET day. We picked up trash in the morning on the highway and then later on, I saw some of the ladies for library hours.

Monday was pretty tame, but I did have a nice conversation with the President while I interviewed him for The McKendree Review. It was quite sad though at the same time, the three articles I turned in on Tuesday were my last articles as a Staff Writer for The Review.

Last night was McKendree’s third annual Drag Show. Always a great time but this year tops them all I believe! The show is both for fun, and to bring awareness to unity and equality to the McKendree community. I got to sing an abridged version of Spice Girls with one of the queens and three other audience members.

And then of course, today was Honor’s Day! As Honor’s day crept closer and closer, graduation, I realized is only a couple of weeks away! This semester, year, and four years, has/have gone by so quickly!

Keeping me in line this weekend, though, are two large papers—one that is due on Tuesday–, a paper I need to write for the conference in San Antonio I’m going to this weekend, a play, and some Spanish homework. Off to do some work!

English Nerd Eden

Annie Bierman — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 01:51:08 +0000

Hello! I am actually in Pittsburgh currently to present my paper at the Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society’s conference. My paper about Paradise Lost by John Milton titled, “Sweet Compliance”: Eve’s Progression into Submission in Paradise Lost. I’ve never been to Pittsburgh before, nor have I ever planned a trip on my own! I’m pretty excited to go, but I am not excited to be at the airport at 4 or 5 in the morning. It was a rough morning– let me tell you. Made it in one piece though! I had to switch sessions because mine interfered with my returning flight, so I actually presented today in a session of papers about Chauer’s The Canterbury Tales. Meagan presents tomrorrow morning and then after that, we are off to expore Pittsburgh! We’re going to go out later tonight, too. (After some much needed sleep.)

This school week included way too much stuff. Yesterday, I went all day from 9am-9:30pm with hardly a break. I had to play catch-up for the days of class I would be missing, but it was still a pretty busy day anyway. I hate missing class, but travelling isn’t too bad either.

As for Grad schools, I don’t have to worry as much anymore. After my last post, I got three acceptance letters in one day! West Virginia University even offered me a teaching assistantship which means my tuition is covered; I have health insurance; and I will start teaching my own classes in August. Only four months from now, I am going to be a college professor. Quite exciting and scary at the same time! I am now only waiting on three more schools to reply with any type of news.

Be back at McKendree in a couple of day, but as for now, it’s Pittsburgh time!

Spring Break

Annie Bierman — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 03:22:32 +0000

It is soooo dead around here! I’ve been on campus a couple times this week; it’s so weird not to see everyone around! I decided to stay here this Spring Break (and so did my roomies). I’m going to Pittsburgh in two weeks and San Antonio in a month and Europe in two months. I figured I should get caught up and ahead on some things! I’ve written a paper (and need to write another one), am reading parts of like 4 books currently (not including the books I’m reading for my history paper, and doing stuff for extracurriculars. SOOO much to do.

Still no more word from graduate schools. Ugh. Some profs have told me that the longer you wait, the better it is. I surely hope so. Graduation is less than two months away. I would surely like to know what I’m going to be doing with my life. I’m starting to think I need a back-up plan for life. I don’t even want to do anything else. Oh goodness.

All of the organizations are doing well, getting ready for some coming transitions and finishing up events we planned for this year. I’m really hopeful for all of the organizations next year—there are some great underclass students who will do well as leaders! I’m glad to be leaving them all flourishing and improving.

Not much to say this time, but I promise the next one will be much better!

Crazy Beautiful Life

Annie Bierman — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 05:19:35 +0000

Last weekend, I went on the Chicago Shakespeare trip! It was lots of fun! Though we had to leave super early on Friday morning, it made Sunday night and Monday morning much easier on us all. We saw Gnomeo and Juliet in the movie theater along with As You Like It at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. I love to watch plays performed of plays I have already read. Amazing. I can’t wait to watch Shakespeare at the Globe Theatre! Here is us at the Theater!

We finally got accepted into the International English conference, so we finalized our travel arrangements. J It’ll be the first two trips where a travel agent hasn’t booked my things for me! I’m going out on my own—well, sort of at least.

I’m still waiting on graduate schools to get back with me. Many of them said I would know in March or early April. Too long to wait if you ask me.

The Vagina Monologues performance was last night! We had an amazing turn out—like 300 people! The Brown Bag was well-attended as well—and not only by the usual crowd! I am so glad Meagan and I got to work with an amazing cast and crew who all did an amazing job last night! I’m so glad it’s over, but certainly sad as well. Meagan and I decided that we are certainly going out with a bang! I hope they will continue with the same force and determination we all had this year for next year! Below are all the lovely ladies I had the pleasure of working with:

This semester, I cannot really choose my favorite class. Well, except for Spanish… I definitely know that is not my favorite. I would have to say it is between my three English classes and Women’s History. I enjoy preparing and reading for all of the classes. Nerd alert but I’m happy I’m taking classes I actually like during my last semester of my undergrad. Midterms are next week. Eek! I have two midterm exams for two of my English classes and then an oral midterm for Spanish 4. I’m nervous. This weekend is going to focus on homework and studying! I need to catch up on everything! I also want to write two papers and do serious research for another paper!

Spring break is coming so incredibly soon! Only a week. I don’t plan on going anywhere this year, but I still think it should be a lot of fun. Who wouldn’t have fun with a 5-day break from classes?

Play practice is going well. I love the scene in which I talk… I’m a gossipy woman in a shop acting much more pretentious than she has to actually back up. It’s only four weeks away basically, and one week we’re off due to Spring Break! Eek!

This weekend I am also determined to really lay out my trip to Europe in May! I’m going to the mall tomorrow, so I’ll stop by Barnes and Noble and get a planning book. It’s so unreal to think that I’m going to be there in three months!

It is less than three months to graduation and only days until midterms. It’s so surreal. It is also going by so fast—especially because of the craziness that is life.

Shake It Like a Polaroid Picture

Annie Bierman — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 12:09:14 +0000

Another photo update!

In my last post, I talked about my last semester of KET and it being my last pinning ceremony. These girls have been in the sorority with me since day one. Pledge class Spring ’08.

Snowy McKendree!

This one is from one of McKendree’s snow days! Roomies and I went sledding!

On this day, Meagan and I went to see one of Shakespeare’s plays called Pericles at the Black Repertory Theatre of St. Louis along with a couple more classmates and faculty. An interesting take on the play, but it was tons of fun to watch the play after I had already read it!

Before we went to St. Louis to celebrate a friend’s birthday! We listened to Ke$ha’s new CD the entire time we got ready to go!

I went ice sakting a few weeks ago as part of the “Skate With The Hockey Team” thing. I absolutely hate not being able to control my movements so for me to go ice skating is a major accomplishment. My roommate drew this on the community Doodle Pro hanging in our living room. Below this one is my “I don’t like this or you” face.

A cool awesome friend of mine gave me this adorable dog and candy for Valentine’s Day!

I had my own plaque at a presentation I had to give! I felt so cool!

That’s all for now. I should have some more up soon from the Shakespeare trip and then I’ll have an overall update!

And it goes on and on and on…

Annie Bierman — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 06:18:49 +0000

All of the clubs are back up and running and I’m super excited about this semester! Some things going on include a clothing drive with KET for women and teens at the Violence Prevention Center, a production of The Vagina Monologues (with me doing a monologue!), the school theatre production The Visit towards the end of March, the Spectrum Alliance Drage Show, Chicago Shakespeare Trip, Conferences, Condom Awareness Day, Scholarship Days for student ambassadors this weekend, and all the other random things happening on campus everyday! The one thing I’m kind of pumped about it that I have a part in the play! I’ve never tried out for a production in my life, but I promised myself to do more things that get me out of my comfort zone and, as a senior, this is probably my last chance. So fear of public speaking and all, I did it! Never more scared in my life. Now I have to perform in front of people… four nights in a row– not including rehearsals. As for KET, we have new pledges! I’m leaving my family legacy (which started out as none) with three daughters and three grandchildren who are juniors, sophomores, and first-years. I’m glad to see that something that has been dear to my heart the last four years will remain thriving and strong, despite the obstacles through the years.

On the grad school front, I’ve gotten a couple emails from schools updating my application status– meaning that they are at the point of actually looking through them and making decisions. Therefore, decisions are possibly coming out sooner rather than later. Cue panic attack now.

I’m proud of myself this week: I read a play within four hours sporatically, watched one of my favorite movies for class credit, went to all of my meetings and classes, wrote three articles for the school newspaper The McKendree Review, did some website building, read parts of three other books, am now working on my first literary analysis paper of the semester for my 18th Century British Literature class, and I still have two more days left of the week!

Classes are going well. For the most part, I’m learning lots– which is always awesome, but then again, I cannot wait to only learn what I want to learn. Finished Romeo and Juliet and now onto Othello in Shakespeare, writing our first papers in 18th Century Lit, learning the subjunctive mood in Spanish (ugh), working on listening techniques in Speech, and choosing our topics for our research paper in Women’s History as well as learning about the fabulously interesting Puritan/Native American women of the early Americas. I can’t wait until we start learning more about the Victorian era oppression and the beginnings of the suffrage movement! Only a few more weeks!

(Title from “Dynamite” by Taio Cruz)

New Year, New Me

Annie Bierman — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 02:25:54 +0000

The next 12 months of my life are going to be pretty amazing– I can already tell 12 days in! I will be going to Chicago in February, Washington D.C. and hopfully Pittsburgh in March, San Antonio in April, and EUROPE in May with one of my besties. Also in May, I will be GRADUATING from McKendree. And in August, probably the best thing of the whole year, I will be starting another degree somewhere unfamiliar! These changes, graduation and moving, are quite terrifying, but I’m sort of becoming more excited about them as time passes. “It’s not the beginning of the end, it’s the end of the beginning” my roommate Allie said the day before the semester started. Though it is hard to accept, it is also very true. At McKendree, I have found the “Me” I have been searching for the last few years; I have found my identity. So it’ll be difficult. The most difficult thing is that my Wolfpack of Meagan, Allie, and I will change next year when we all go our separate ways– whether we go to grad schools, get internships, or start real jobs– it will HAVE to change. There’s no way around it.

I’ve been back at school working and doing things since the 3rd and since then, I think I have had more than 10 people remind of this big scary graduation thing coming up. It makes me a bit sad honestly, but then again, I keep thinking about the new exciting things coming up and change my feelings once again! Many emotions. I kind of feel borderline bipolar. I got to skype my friend in England the other day! He’s studying abroad at King’s College London through McKendree this semester. Meagan and I are used to seeing him everyday and spending hours doing homework with him, so it is quite an adjustment for us! We’ll be seeing him in London in May though!

Classes this semester: all but one is for fun. The dreaded last requirement I have been so strategically putting off has finally caught up with me: Speech. Ugh. We make our first speeches next week, and though they are not graded, I am already nervous! Eek! I believe we make a total of 5 speeches– 5 too many for me. I am also taking a Spanish course to keep my language skills up for the foreign language requirements in grad school! My one TTh class, Women’s History, is going to be a fun one! I’ve always wanted to take this course, and I’m glad I finally have the opportunity to do so! We’re reading three texts along with a textbook, and I’ll eventually be writing a 10 page paper (hopefully something on 2nd or 3rd wave feminism!) Though my schedule was basically all electives, I felt very weird about it. I felt very bored already. So I was, until today, enrolled in a Study Abroad class but I decided to drop it and go to England/Europe on my own (well with friend in tow as well). I then decided to pick up and Independent Study! The missing link in my schedule–lots of English research! Everything is right in the world again, the more english, the better, of course. Other English classes include Shakespeare’s Tragedies and Romances– starting off with Romeo & Juliet and 18th Century/Restoration Literature. I’m going to be reading things like Gulliver’s Travels, A Modest Proposal, and more of the infamous Aphra Behn! Overall though, it’s so incredibly weird to think that this is it. I’m making the best of my last semester, though (except for Speech of course)!

Graduation this semester or not, the spring semester ALWAYS goes fast! Soo many things happening sooo soon! I’m beginning to really appreciate these last sixteen weeks I have here and really taking advantage of each and every opportunity I have in front of me. I’m super pumped for the upcoming Hett events this semester! The Distinguished Speaker series continues with an explorer/filmmaker next month; the spanish film series continues with a film about the young Fidel Castro later this month and as always, concerts! I’m really bummed I missed Christine Brewer’s concert tonight, but it was Sold Out! So jealous. Another great semester of Brown Bags coming up including one that I get to help present! Young Feminists is doing a Brown Bag on the same day as The Vagina Monologues to give a history and such about the monologues! Super pumped! The first one of the semester, today’s, was about McKendree’s new program for first generation college students. I definitely had to go to this one as it hits close to home– I am a first gen! It was put on by the director of the new program and included input from many McK professors who are also first gen college students. This definitely surprised me, but also encouraged me–if they can get their Ph.D.’s coming from similar family backgrounds, I hope I can, too!

Besides school, one “resolution” I made to myself this year is to do more fun things! From a blog post someone found, a few people in Young Feminists are venturing to face the challenge it posed: read one “feminist classic” a month for the entire year of 2011. Currently, those of us in it are reading A Vindication of the Rights of Woman written by Mary Wollstonecraft during the Romantic period (1795). I’ve actually read this book for a course before, but I love reading it again! I do need to get ahold of the other book for this month!The other books include:

January: A Vindication of the Rights of Women by Mary Wollestonecraft AND So Long a Letter by Mariama Ba

February: The Subjection of Women by John Stuart Mill and Harriet Taylor Mill

March: A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen

April: Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

May: A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf

June: God Dies by the Nile by Nawal Saadawi

July: The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir

August: The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston

September: The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf

October: Ain’t I a Woman? by bell hooks AND Third World Women and the Politics of Feminism Anthology

November: Gender Trouble by Judith Butler

December: Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde

The rescheduled Eurotrip I’m taking is going to be around the same time frame as the other one (in May) but it will be specifically what we want to do. We’re planning on going to Stratford-upon-Avon, Canterbury if I can convince her, the Globe Theatre, Parliament, The Tower of London, Stonehenge, some castles, Buckingham Palace, and Westminster Abbey just to name a few!

Grad school update: in only two weeks, I will be completely done applying! I feel like half the battle was the application process. Now the dreadfully long and uncertain waiting period begins. Fingers crossed though!

Until next time!

Winter Break!

Annie Bierman — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 05:41:20 +0000

Happy Holidays everyone!

I hope everyone’s having a wonderful break!

Since I’m so busy during the school year, I am very terribly bored an unadjusted when I come home from break. I’ve been sleeping a lot, but I have also been very productive! I’ve read 5 books (and am currently working on three more), edited two papers I need to send off to grad schools, and wrote the remaining 8 personal statements and a new teaching philosophy paper. After all this is done, I still find time to work almost every day and shopping occasionally.

The novels I am reading are mostly classical ones, like ones in the literary canon or ones that are on the 100 must-reads before you read type. I’ve been reading from one of my class anthologies and have been getting ready for next semester! There’s not too much pre-reading I can do though—some of my classes do not have their books posted yet! Just as well though, I’m enjoying my fun-I don’t have to think about them too hard-reads and I definitely enjoy the mindless movies I’ve watched on Netflix for the last couple of weeks. It’s going to be hard to adjust back to school mode in just a week and a half!

For the actual holiday, I took a day off from busy work and went to volunteer at the soup kitchen I’ve been helping with for the past four years. Each year is a rewarding experience, but I definitely think this year was the best. This year, I was a greeter and part of the hospitality committee. I had the pleasure of meeting each and every one of the dinner guests and seeing their charisma and high spirits on Christmas, despite their current life situations. Some stories break my heart year after year, but I know that I am helping them by coming to volunteer again and again.

I am getting VERY close to being done with all of my applications! All I need to do is pay the ridiculous application fees and spend a couple hours tying up loose ends of paperwork! It’s weird to think that my fate lies in these applications, but it’s almost completely true! I’ll find out by next April-May what I am going to be doing and where I am going to be living come August!

Back to my novels and my daily nap!