Finals. Oh, and everything else too.

So, here I sit in the midst of the busiest few weeks I've ever experienced in college. Finals are approaching next week; this week is called "Dead Week," since everything is supposed to be quiet, full of study, etc. Wrong. I have had projects, papers, and a final exam this week, along with finishing up photos and video that I shot for my Little 500 internship, and starting training for a new job. 


Yes, I have a new job. No more dealing with beginning photography students leaving trays of chemicals on the floor of the darkroom! Lab monitor Danielle is gone. I am now working at the Indiana Daily Student  (IDS) newspaper, doing mainly ad design and also working on larger projects and campaigns. I've only had 2 days of training so far, but I can tell that I will have a great time working there.


The worst of my finals are mostly over. I only have one exam left (although it is huge), and the rest of my work consists of a design project and multiple final book projects for my book structures class. It's possible that I will be up until 4am making books every night this weekend, but I truly don't mind doing it. I just hope that I don't end up with a mediocre project since these are somewhat last minute.


I'm really excited about the first project I have planned for the summer, which is to photograph all of my projects that aren't already in some digital form. This includes all of the books I have made/will make this semester, of which there are 10 or more. I feel like I haven't photographed anything for myself in a very, very long time, so this will be a nice bit of artistic therapy. I do have a full list of summer goals written out already, and I'm eager to start them all! They mostly revolve around design, revamping my website, making books, etc., but I also plan to go through clothes and everything else I own, looking for donations for Goodwill. There is definitely too much clutter in my life...which is probably the reason for my personal preference for minimalist design. See, that psychology minor didn't go to waste.


18. Stay up late.
Strange things happen when you’ve gone too far, been up too long, worked too hard, and you're separated from the rest of the world.
(From the Incomplete Manifesto for Growth, by Bruce Mau)

Vegetarianism is good for you and the Earth too

I officially became a vegetarian about two years ago; I say "officially," because my whole life, even as a child, I've never been much of a meat-eater. The concept of meat had always made me uncomfortable, and the only way I could eat it was to forget what it was, and the sight and smell of raw meat always made me nauseous. At restaurants I almost always chose a vegetarian meal and I basically refused to eat chicken (for some reason it was the one type of meat that I absolutely couldn't stand...I still can't watch my roommates cook it). My first year at college was basically meat-free; I couldn't bring myself to eat the meat in the food courts on a daily basis, and after that year I couldn't force myself anymore. It got to a point where I became nauseous after one bite, it was as if my body was physically rejecting it. And bam! I became a vegetarian.

So my original reason for becoming vegetarian was a general dislike of meat, and the concept of eating something that was once alive. As I've learned more about the mistreatment of domesticated animals, and the environmental consequences of producing meat, my motivation for being vegetarian has grown to incorporate moral and environmental reasons.

Within the past few years the environmental concerns regarding meat-consumption have been discussed more and more, but it has been hard for me to find information that an average person can understand; many articles I find on the subject talk about chemicals and processes that, as a normal person, I don't totally comprehend. Today I came across an article that does exactly what I've been looking for. It is straightforward, and anyone can understand what it's trying to say. It's also the most convincing article I read for vegetarianism as a way to lessen environmental impact. I'll let it speak for itself.

The article even links to another article about the ADA's recommendations for a vegetarian diet! As I'm trying to become more and more environmentally-friendly every day, I look for new ways to inspire others to do the same; my vegetarianism is one of the things I'm most passionate about, and because it's healthy and eco-friendly, it's something I can teach to others. My carnivorous roommate has even started to eat tofu and other meat-replacements, whereas a year ago she said she "could never eat tofu...ew."

I've been trying to eat one vegan meal each day, because cheese, milk, and other dairy products still do affect the environment. I don't think I'll ever be totally vegan, but when I do buy dairy I do my best to make sure it's from organic farms, where the cows are grass-fed, and not given antibiotics. It's not too hard to do and I urge others to give it a try.

Choose veggies!