So, I’ve been quiet the past couple weeks, but that’s because I’ve been swept up in a crazy whirlwind since I WAS ACCEPTED INTO GRAD SCHOOL!!! 

I’m super excited and relieved that the application process is over, but I’m starting to freak out about the prospective loans I have to take out. I don’t have any previous student debt, so part of me wants to stay like that, but the other part thinks that this will open up more opportunities in the art / museum / teaching / career world.

I only have until the 20th of this month to respond to their offer, which is creeping up quickly. I am 99.9% sure I am going to accept, but I am having so many doubts (mainly about finding an apartment in NJ and the loans). I am also excited to know that I will be able to transfer to a Disney Store if I want to continue to work part-time, which will be completely necessary.

New adventures on the horizon! :)

I got back from NYC yesterday and completed my interview on Wednesday. I was nervous over the (5 additional!) impromptu essays I had to do a couple hours before the interview, but they weren’t too bad. Then I met with the program director and talked about the program I applied for, my work history, interests, etc. Turns out the education certification part of the program I applied to was a little different than I thought (missing undergrad credits and coursework so I’d have to catch up), so she recommended I apply for just the museum studies portion of the program. I’m still highly interested and excited about this, so I’ll just have to see how it all pans out. The interview ended with her suggesting I fill out financial aid information and that she’ll get back to me. Cross your fingers for good news!

I submitted my graduate application just last week to Bank Street College of Education and today I received a phone call from the program director! I’m going down to NYC to have an in-person interview and complete the second batch of essays on March 13th. I’m ecstatic!

Wish me luck! :)

• Completed application form
• Non-refundable application fee
• Three letters of reference 
• A reflective autobiography
  
• Short Essays 
• Résumé
• Transcripts (still in the mail, apparently…) (update: they arrived!)
  

I sent in everything last night! (Due the 15th.) A great weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I have been working on these grad essays since October and even though I’ve had multiple people proofread and revise, I still am a bit worried. Oh, well. Here comes the waiting game! :)

• Completed application form
• Non-refundable application fee
• Three letters of reference 
• A reflective autobiography (1 page out of 3 completed)
  
• Short Essays 
• Résumé
• Transcripts

Deadline is in 2 weeks!

• Completed application form
• Non-refundable application fee
• Three letters of reference (I have 2 out of 3)
• A reflective autobiography (Outlined)
• Short Essays (On the third round of revisions)
• Résumé
• Transcripts

Deadline is February 15th. Hyperventilating just a little bit.

Some of you may recall I applied to graduate school last year and did not get in.

Well, It took a little bit more work experience and soul searching on my end, but I’m happy to say that I’m getting ready to apply again. (Nothing’s gonna keep me down!) However, I’m applying to a different school entirely. I found the best program at Bank Street College that combines what I’ve been focusing on recently : Museum Studies AND Childhood Education. I feel confident that everything that has happened thus far in my life has prepared me for this role. (Thank you, PEM, YMCA, & Disney Store!)

Their priority deadline is November 1st February 15th for Fall applicants, so I really have to set goals for myself and get to writing the personal essays that go along with the application.

:)

Yep, I’m applying to another.

I’m sending in my application to the American Textile History Museum in Lowell, MA. They have a Museum Education Intern position, which deals with school-age programs and other events. Hoping I can get this so I can gain even more experience in a museum setting!

Wish me luck!

So, my YMCA art classes are over and my PEM internship is wrapping up. I randomly went to a job fair for the new Merrimack Outlets and applied for the Disney Outlet that is opening up…Well, they ended up hiring me on the spot and placing me at the Manchester, NH location since 2 of my old managers are there! I’m so excited to work for the Disney Store again. I know it’s just a retail job but it makes me so happy. This means Chris and I are moving. We’ve applied to an amazing apartment complex in Nashua called, Clocktower Place Apartments. We should be finding out if we get it or not sometime today. Let’s hope it’s a YES.

A few things to update on:

I heard back from SFAI and did not get accepted.

I was pretty bummed at first, because I had a whole plan laid out. However, without fail, I am having a change of heart AGAIN and am still lost as to what I want to do. Don’t get me wrong, I am having a great time at my internship at the museum, however, I am also teaching art to the kids and still have a secret urge to pursue that. I wish I could figure out some way of combining all of this. I will figure it out, in time…I guess?!

That being said, I’ve started a third tumblr to keep track of all the art activities I’m teaching at the museum and through the YMCA. I figure it might help others, or myself further down the road. Here’s the link to that, in case anyone is interested.: http://artforthekiddies.tumblr.com/

Maybe I’ll just run away to work at Disney for a couple of years and then come back to the real world later. Sounds good to me! :)

Well, I survived the Lunar New Year Festival at the Peabody Essex Museum last weekend. It was actually quite fun! (We even broke over 2,000 visitors in attendance!) I got to talk with two other interns, and come to find out, one of them actually interned down in Disney World and knows my old Disney Store manager, Jarrod! It’s definitely “a small world after all”.  :)

This past week I started re-teaching my YMCA art class again. Luckily, I am teaching Mondays - Thursdays and enrollment is very high. But as cute as the kindergarteners are, I think I prefer teaching grades 3-5, because they actually finish the assignments and follow directions easier. My Thursday class is also very advanced in their skills, so I’m going to have to tweak some projects for them. The downside: I’m feeling a tidbit stuffy today, so I’m gonna blame it on the germy kids.  :(

Anyways, with the addition of the Y classes, I had my first week of figuring out how to shuffle them into my schedule. I now go from my PEM internship directly to the elementary schools, so I’m beat afterwards. However, it feels really good to be getting back into the work force and gaining all of this art experience.   

So, my PEM internship is going well. I met another intern who showed me the ropes and how I should be managing my time. So far I have 12 hours clocked, which is exciting. Here’s a picture of the bulletin board above my workspace:

Also, here’s a funny from the comment book, which I just HAD to share:

In case you can’t read it…

Thank you for visiting the Art & Nature Center. We would love to hear what you think!

I think water is like eggs, it’s part of a healthy breakfast.

What is your favorite activity/display?

Favoritism is not healthy. Unlike water, which is healthy.

Do you have any suggestions for us?

More cowbell.

Is this your first time in the center?

I’ve been here. I am a veteran.

Certainly profound and very enjoyable. Oh, snarky children.

AND this weekend (on 2/4) I’m helping out with the museum’s Lunar New Year festivities! Come stop by if you are free! Here’s the link to the event page.

Ok, I promise I won’t give an everyday play-by-play on this PEM internship, however, today seems important enough to share.

It was my first real day in the Art & Nature Center. I arrived a little early, scoped out the office, and then learned how to fill and work the interactive art installations. The show that’s on display is, Ripple Effect, The Art of H2O - so there are a couple of things that need to be refilled and drained every couple of hours. It’s pretty neat to be involved in the museum and feel like I actually get to play a role in the art’s functionality. After everything was prepped and ready for opening, I was given an hour to get acquainted with the rest of the art in the exhibition. There are some really gorgeous pieces, such as this:

Water Sculpture #9
2010; Shinichi Maruyama; archival pigment print

So there you have it. Seems like I’m going to adjust to this internship pretty well. I’ve already been scheduled to come in once a week (Thursdays) plus do the occasional weekend gig. Should be quite interesting!

So, today I had my internship orientation at the PEM. I drove over, found parking in the garage, walked through the mall and into the main building. I met up with the 14 other interns in the museum atrium, where we were briefed on what the internship entailed. We signed some paperwork and then went on a scavenger hunt. (This was extremely awkward, since no one knew each other AND the museum is huge, so we got lost.) We went over our answers from the scavenger hunt - I got one correct, so I won this snazzy pin as a prize:

We then had our pictures taken by security for our swipey-badges, got to view a couple of new exhibitions before the general public, and went on a super-secret tour of the basement of the museum. (All SO cool.) We then received our badges, signed more papers, and then I was whisked away to the Art & Nature Center where I had an hour of training.

Al-in-all, it was a very good day. I feel like this internship will be very beneficial to me. I can’t wait to go in again tomorrow. 

I start my internship with the PEM tomorrow! Not gonna lie - I’m kinda nervous, but also really excited. I have orientation from 9:30am - 12:00pm and then training after that for a couple of hours.

I bought new black pants so I’ll look ‘museum spiffy’. :) I also get a badge, I’m really stoked for the badge.

This is going to be my 3rd internship (my other 2 were just meh), so I’m hoping I actually love this and that this will help me with grad school / future big-girl art jobs.

Wish me lots and lots and lots and lots of luck, please!