I sit here on my bed riding a wave of inspiration. In reading...or in a particular case watching...some other blogs, I've felt an urge to write. Why not? I already speak everything as I think it, maybe it would be helpful to express thoughts in writing on occasion. Like some others out there, I don't like the concepts of journals or diaries, but I do find there is some great satisfaction writing the happenings of my life down for others to read. DON'T look for proper grammar here....I'm writing what I think as I think it.
So enough behind why....to get things started I'll share my present, my recent past, and my foreseen future.
The present:
I am a month and a half through my 5th year of my undergraduate degree at York University. I study communication studies and religious studies with a focus on Jewish studies. Communications because I was afraid about not having a job upon graduation...turns out it won't make a difference because I just don't care about the field enough. Religious studies because communications couldn't be done alone and in my second year I decided that I was passionate about Judaism and Israel and might as well do something I knew I liked, in order to finish my degree. By means of manipulating the system to work for me, I WILL graduate in June.
I am busier then I think I ever could have imagined being at this time.
After progressing through the ranks of stage management to production manager last year, this year I have given myself the title Director of Promotions & Events for Vanier College Productions. This is a position that happens to pay...unfortunately it's the equivalent work of at least a part time job and pays much less.
This year I am the Communications and Publicity chair on the Hillel @ York board. I also work reception for them once a week.
I am taking 3 full year classes, 2 of which are independent studies and require extensive reading...something I've managed to avoid in the first 4 years of university. I am a SLOW reader!...but working on this.
I just agreed to stage manage Hillel's upcoming production of Anything Goes....David Ashwal (Hillel staff) asked whether I was going to kill myself now or during....this is a joke...but I do believe my need for a stressful lifestyle has reached a new level with this decision.
For the first time I find myself putting my social life second...but this is happening at the best time. My closest friends are either very understanding that the situation will be remedied soon enough or are living too far away to be directly affected by my lack of time.
So now the question you should ask...why am I allowing myself to be so busy? I have to!
At this point, I am learning more valuable experience from my work at Hillel and VCP then class. However, class is still important, it is important to me to earn my bachelor degree and be able to move on to graduate studies. Therefore I sacrifice sleep and freedom and the ability to have a job, but I really believe what I'm gaining makes it worthwhile.
So that's the present...or at least a glimpse of it....so where have I been?
Or at least where have I been recently?
2 years ago I was in Israel at the University of Haifa....I can't believe it's been that long. You can read about this journey in my first blog Ari's Random Thoughts arisrandomthoughts.blogspot.com
This past summer I had two amazing experiences:
I participated on the Hillel Leadership Trip to Kiryat Moshe - this took me back to Israel for 5 amazing weeks. We lived in the middle of nowhere...seriously....otherwise known as Kfar Gvirol a community in Rechovot. While there we traveled on weekends and spent weekdays volunteering with children in Kiryat Moshe, a mostly Ethiopian community, nearby. I got very sick on this trip and I'm still trying to get back to full health.
After returning to Toronto, I began an internship. It was titled the Kohn Summer Internship and I was placed at JVS Toronto and the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre. I worked on Fundraising and Development for both organizations 4 days a week and the 5th was spent meeting and speaking with community leaders who shared valuable information and experiences relevant to working the Jewish community.
At the end of the summer I visited Chicago for the first time and two weeks ago I went to New York City for yet another first time. Chicago was to give my friend Jenn company on her way back home. New York was titled "Arielle and Shayna Do Broadway!" but probably should have been called "Arielle and Shayna Do Spring Awakening!" and I will post about this another time.
Finally, that we can see where I've been, what am I working towards?
In November, I will be attending the UJC GA in Nashville, Tennesse.
In December, I will hopefully go back to NYC.
In February, I will apply for the Jewish Campus Service Corps Fellowship. I will hopefully be accepted to this program and spend next year working for Hillel on a campus somewhere in North America.
After next year, I will apply for a master's degree....by then I will hopefully know what that will be in but it could be Jewish Professional Leadership, Public Administration, Fundraising, or maybe even Arts Administration....hmmm....
So that's it...that is the background for all that is to come. I look forward to writing out my thoughts and sharing my perspective....I hope you're inspired to read. Leave me comments when you want...I thrive off interaction.
So enough behind why....to get things started I'll share my present, my recent past, and my foreseen future.
The present:
I am a month and a half through my 5th year of my undergraduate degree at York University. I study communication studies and religious studies with a focus on Jewish studies. Communications because I was afraid about not having a job upon graduation...turns out it won't make a difference because I just don't care about the field enough. Religious studies because communications couldn't be done alone and in my second year I decided that I was passionate about Judaism and Israel and might as well do something I knew I liked, in order to finish my degree. By means of manipulating the system to work for me, I WILL graduate in June.
I am busier then I think I ever could have imagined being at this time.
After progressing through the ranks of stage management to production manager last year, this year I have given myself the title Director of Promotions & Events for Vanier College Productions. This is a position that happens to pay...unfortunately it's the equivalent work of at least a part time job and pays much less.
This year I am the Communications and Publicity chair on the Hillel @ York board. I also work reception for them once a week.
I am taking 3 full year classes, 2 of which are independent studies and require extensive reading...something I've managed to avoid in the first 4 years of university. I am a SLOW reader!...but working on this.
I just agreed to stage manage Hillel's upcoming production of Anything Goes....David Ashwal (Hillel staff) asked whether I was going to kill myself now or during....this is a joke...but I do believe my need for a stressful lifestyle has reached a new level with this decision.
For the first time I find myself putting my social life second...but this is happening at the best time. My closest friends are either very understanding that the situation will be remedied soon enough or are living too far away to be directly affected by my lack of time.
So now the question you should ask...why am I allowing myself to be so busy? I have to!
At this point, I am learning more valuable experience from my work at Hillel and VCP then class. However, class is still important, it is important to me to earn my bachelor degree and be able to move on to graduate studies. Therefore I sacrifice sleep and freedom and the ability to have a job, but I really believe what I'm gaining makes it worthwhile.
So that's the present...or at least a glimpse of it....so where have I been?
Or at least where have I been recently?
2 years ago I was in Israel at the University of Haifa....I can't believe it's been that long. You can read about this journey in my first blog Ari's Random Thoughts arisrandomthoughts.blogspot.com
This past summer I had two amazing experiences:
I participated on the Hillel Leadership Trip to Kiryat Moshe - this took me back to Israel for 5 amazing weeks. We lived in the middle of nowhere...seriously....otherwise known as Kfar Gvirol a community in Rechovot. While there we traveled on weekends and spent weekdays volunteering with children in Kiryat Moshe, a mostly Ethiopian community, nearby. I got very sick on this trip and I'm still trying to get back to full health.
After returning to Toronto, I began an internship. It was titled the Kohn Summer Internship and I was placed at JVS Toronto and the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre. I worked on Fundraising and Development for both organizations 4 days a week and the 5th was spent meeting and speaking with community leaders who shared valuable information and experiences relevant to working the Jewish community.
At the end of the summer I visited Chicago for the first time and two weeks ago I went to New York City for yet another first time. Chicago was to give my friend Jenn company on her way back home. New York was titled "Arielle and Shayna Do Broadway!" but probably should have been called "Arielle and Shayna Do Spring Awakening!" and I will post about this another time.
Finally, that we can see where I've been, what am I working towards?
In November, I will be attending the UJC GA in Nashville, Tennesse.
In December, I will hopefully go back to NYC.
In February, I will apply for the Jewish Campus Service Corps Fellowship. I will hopefully be accepted to this program and spend next year working for Hillel on a campus somewhere in North America.
After next year, I will apply for a master's degree....by then I will hopefully know what that will be in but it could be Jewish Professional Leadership, Public Administration, Fundraising, or maybe even Arts Administration....hmmm....
So that's it...that is the background for all that is to come. I look forward to writing out my thoughts and sharing my perspective....I hope you're inspired to read. Leave me comments when you want...I thrive off interaction.
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