(A personal photograph of my front porch from my favorite
tree to sit and read in; July 2014)
I am a Pennsylvanian; originally from (and raised in) Macungie, PA, though I now live in Mount Bethel, PA--where formerly I spent every summer since I was a baby. So I guess you could say I have two hometowns, haha. I came to OU due to the National Merit Scholarship and fantastic Honors College programs. And, upon attending school here, I have realized that there is no other university where I would rather be!
I am double-majoring in Biology & Letters, a very eclectic (but fitting) duo. I have always wanted to go into some kind of animal behavioral research, but also find the classics, literature, philosophy, history and language fascinating--making my choice in majors perfect but widely encompassing as far as subject matter goes. This semester I am studying abroad in Arezzo, Italy through the OUA study abroad program, so I am busy learning Italian (all I know are a few words and phrases, so I'm kinda lost right now, haha) and traveling across Europe while trying to keep up with 15 hours of coursework--it should be an adventure and a half!!! I am taking Renaissance Art in Italy, Machiavelli's Modern Princes, The Republican Tradition, Italian Cultural Literacy, and of course Myth & Folklore. So, yeah, a busy semester all in all.
As far as hobbies go, I love to read, watch a variety of movies and TV shows, like to write stories (though I have issues with completing what I start. . . whoops!), enjoy playing sports such as volleyball, soccer, basketball, and ping pong, like to sketch (even if I'm not an utterly fantastic artist), love to hike and kayak, and all-around enjoy any time spent outdoors. I have also recently resumed running, an exercise that seems to get the better of me more often than not. Since I'm in Europe, I'm sure my main hobbies and sideline activities here will be traveling (wherever and whenever possible!), enjoying ALL of the Italian food, and wandering the rustic countryside and historical city while being blissfully inept at speaking the local language. All good things, haha.
(One of my favorite silly photos of my sisters and I a couple of years ago
when we were moving out of our old house; November 2012)
I have two sisters, one older and one younger, and I am two years apart from each of them. If this had been written before this past summer, I would have stated that I have two pets--a Brittany spaniel named Buddy and a gray calico cat named Princess. But then my sister decided to adopt an eight-week-old German shepherd/Anatolian shepherd mix puppy, so now I have yet another pet to list. And while she is absolutely adorable, Calypso has proven to be a very mischievous puppy. Unfortunately she has only grown more curious and energetic over the past few months, but she is a lovable sweetheart and luckily isn't--at least yet--as large as previously predicted, which makes her easier to manage, haha.
(Personal photographs of our new puppy, Calypso, on the left and my Brittany,
Buddy (under my favorite reading tree!) on the right; August 2014)
Well, now that you know the basics about me, it is time for the fun to truly begin. Onward and upward we go!!
Arrivederci!
