Rhythms and ROTC

            Well, I finally started the day by getting up before eight! ROTC started this morning – we had our Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA), which consists of sit-ups, push-ups, and the run. It was inside, which was lovely, since the track was covered in snow and it was twenty degrees outside, not counting wind. I did well, and afterwards we had class and then headed back to Harvard for breakfast.

            I like this semester’s NROTC curriculum better than last semester’s. The course is called “Seapower and Maritime Affairs”, but it’s actually Naval History. I’ve always loved History, but I haven’t had the chance to take any classes since my sophomore year of high school, so I’m looking forward to it.

            In Expository Writing, we’re already preparing for our first paper, one on Persuasion. I liked the book, though I wouldn’t have had time to read it if I hadn’t needed to. Today the entire class was a long discussion about the book. One of the things I love about Harvard, and college in general, is the increased focus on discussion, prompted by interesting material and participation as a percentage of the final grade.

            Physics and Hebrew are also going well; I’m starting to get into a rhythm, though lately that rhythm has included more procrastination than was strictly necessary. There’s a four-day weekend coming up, though, which should allow me both to enjoy a day off and reach my goals with regard to work.

            Our a cappella group auditioned for a spot in Cultural Rhythms, a big annual event in Harvard, and made it! In fact, they said they wanted us not only for the larger matinee show, but for the evening show as well! Under Construction had never gotten a spot in the matinee show before, so we’re all very excited. We’re also excited about our upcoming tour to Taiwan – we’re learning new songs and sending out support letters. Everything is happening really fast!

            I’m filling my time with all of this, church, and the Christian groups at Harvard, and maybe looking into diving into a few new extra-curriculars this semester as well. I’ll let you know if I do. Right now my free time is occupied with a short story I’m writing. I haven’t written anything in a long time, but I’ve always wanted to write a Sherlock Holmes-style mystery, and I finally made up a plot one night and decided to go ahead and put it on paper – or on my Google Drive, as the case may be. We’ll see if I have time to finish it.

            I’ve also been using my free time to memorize more Hebrew, and now I’ve added Arabic to the mix as well, though my pronunciation leaves a lot to be desired. I just want to build up a base that I can use for this summer, when, if everything goes well, I’ll be taking an intensive Arabic course. So, outside of a constant flow of work, it’s been nice for the past couple of weeks – lots of sitting around and sipping tea and studying.

            It’s still very cold, though it hasn’t snowed today, which means I’ve been spending a lot of time in my room, thankful for my fully-functioning heater. The ROTC lab was cancelled last week due to snow, though, so I do give the Boston Winter credit for letting me sleep in last Wednesday. Harvard didn’t cancel classes, even though some were cancelled anyway because the professors were unable to drive here. One more note on that – if you ever move up here and go to buy a coat and boots, remember that these are the main articles of clothing most people will see you wearing every day for months. Make sure you like them! And yes, I love my coat and boots – I couldn’t do without them.

            Well, I need to go to Hebrew, and I’m sure you all have things to do, so I’ll leave you to it. I wish you a safe and joyful week, and I’ll talk to you again next week! Happy Valentine’s Day and Happy Presidents’ Day!

            PS - Yes, I'm attaching still more pretty pictures of the snow! Note the half-buried bicycle...