I am beginning this post with a few requested photos from my new home here in Princeton, NJ. The first is a picture of IVY. :) This is specifically for my father, who wondered if I'd seen any ivy...the answer is YES, in abundance!
Below is a photo of my classroom building. It has several steps, and it vaguely reminds me of buildings in Oxford. Oh, to be academic again...
Below is our chapel, in which we worship daily. I am loving this time to come together as a community. No, it isn't required as a grad student, but many of us go anyway. :)
(btw- the middle school boys on the steps are foreign to me) :)
This is my dorm hall, called Alex Hall. It has it's ups and downs- but mostly ups. It just so happens to be the oldest building on campus! (only sometimes is that evident) :)
And for anyone who adores cute baby pictures- this is my niece once again, looking adorable the last day I was with her this summer!
Ha, and for something a little random... this is my engagement ring, for those who haven't seen it. AJ chose our two birth stones, along with two colors of gold, to represent our lives coming together. It has a pretty great explanation, available upon request. :)
And to begin recounting my previous week at Princeton!
Below is our chapel, in which we worship daily. I am loving this time to come together as a community. No, it isn't required as a grad student, but many of us go anyway. :)
(btw- the middle school boys on the steps are foreign to me) :)
This is my dorm hall, called Alex Hall. It has it's ups and downs- but mostly ups. It just so happens to be the oldest building on campus! (only sometimes is that evident) :)
And for anyone who adores cute baby pictures- this is my niece once again, looking adorable the last day I was with her this summer!
Ha, and for something a little random... this is my engagement ring, for those who haven't seen it. AJ chose our two birth stones, along with two colors of gold, to represent our lives coming together. It has a pretty great explanation, available upon request. :)
And to begin recounting my previous week at Princeton!
My first sentence should be one of assurance and gratefulness. I assure everyone that my time here has been wonderful, and I extend my gratefulness to everyone who has been in prayer. It is at times humbling to be a "beginner" again, but the support of everyone's prayers has been felt tremendously, I promise. Each day I wake up reminding myself how blessed I am to be in a community of learning, backed by my previous communities of love.
Classes have been intimidating and exhilerating at the same time. I furiously scribble my notes while trying to understand the string of elaborate vocabulary pouring from my professor's mouth. Then I whisper a word of my ignorance to my neighbor, gaining a quick laugh...and I come back to reality. It's true that I am starting over once again. I do have a background of general theological knowledge, but this is intense! And I love it.
Oh gosh, I crammed so much into one week of seminary, it's difficult to know what exactly I should share with you. I have been keeping in shape with our less-than-state of the art (but still adequate) workout room, I attended a yoga class (taught by my doctoral student preceptor), which was wonderful and centering. My neighbors and some friends I've met have been really great companions on this trip through our first semester learnings! And above all, I am reading, learning, taking a water break, then reading some more!
Dorm life is fine. Sharing a bathroom is less exciting than I recall from undergrad. :) I enjoy the convenience of being so close to everything on campus, but sometimes it can be distracting to have my computer (okay, and bed) :) so close, when I should be studying. I have been through a number of possibilities for work study, most of which haven't panned out. I have a few more pending, and will report on results later... as if I need more to consume my time!
The paths and parks around the area here are splendid, I wish I had more time to enjoy them! Yesterday I met up with a Red Cloud student who is attending Princeton University, and we had a wonderful time catching up and walking around downtown Princeton! She also is a knowledgeable source for all that is Princeton and PU...so I am lucky to have her around!
Today I resorted to doing my laundry in the coin operated machines in our 1815 basement. It was as one might expect. glorious. :)
Hmm, I suppose this is enough ramblings for one day. I feel as if I have so much more to share! one quick note- I am actually heading back to SD briefly next weekend for a friend's wedding! It seems as if I just got here and I'm returning, but I look forward to the short time I will have with friends and family! I'm not exactly looking forward to the cramming a week of work into 4 days, but it's all good! :) (as one fellow seminarian said today at lunch- "I'm here to preach the gospel of, "take it easy." Consequently, he doesn't study on Fri. Sat. or Sun.) :)
Until the next honest report from Princeton Seminary,
Emily
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