Registering for Spring 2023 Courses and a Fall Semester Update
Posted November 16, 2022 by Elizabeth Poland
Today is finally the day for SLIS students to register for their Spring 2023 courses! From what I know, it seems like a majority of people have an 11 a.m. start time on November 16th (as do I). I may or may not be writing this at 11:05, my adrenaline still pumping and the sweet relief of getting my desired courses washing over me. Since the course schedule for next semester was released a few weeks ago, everyone has been on the edge of their seats. Whenever I hear my classmates buzzing about what classes they want to take and where they’ll be when it hits 11 o’clock, my body tenses. I can’t help but feel a bit competitive! It’s like Black Friday or when your favorite artist’s tickets go on sale. I’m graduating at the end of next semester and need to fill my requirements. Of course, there are multiple alternative ways to get into your desired class even if they seem to be full today: be on the waitlist and see if…
Joy in the End
Posted November 15, 2022 by Johnna Purchase
I have managed to freak out most of my friends when dropping into casual conversation the fact that we only have four weeks of class left. To me, this signifies fewer 10%-assignments, most of my due dates crossed off my list, and a chance to focus on my final projects and research papers. As an English major in undergrad, I am used to working on large-scale analysis that brings together research and original thought so final projects are where my brain is happiest. And, I finally know not just something but almost a lot-of-something about my course topics. It’s a time for celebration! My friends are less than convinced. The looming deadlines that all seem to cluster around the same two days, the uncertainty that maybe we don’t know as much as we think we do, the will-they-won’t-they arrive in time ILL requests for research papers, I will admit it can be a stressful time. With Thanksgiving Break disrupting this final sprint to the end and the whispering guilt of needing to work on projects…
Maintaining Balance
Posted November 11, 2022 by Ivy Noonan
For everyone who experiences daylight savings time, I hope you’re managing okay! I know the extra hour of sleep can be a blessing but also throw everyone’s rhythm off. That paired with finishing up midterms can result in everyone feeling a little warn down. So I hope that everyone’s been finding great ways to do self-care while we get through the final chunk of the semester. For me I’ve been going on walks and admiring all of the brightly colored foliage and planning a small fun activity here and there so I have something to look forward to. I would also say this is a great time to visit Salem if you haven’t been yet. It’s much quieter so you can really enjoy walking around and seeing all of the museums and information available. I also always recommend to try and take a weekend where you do…nothing. I’ve noticed there’s often pressure to make use of all of your time whether it be academic, going on adventures, or just cleaning your house. While all of…
Resources for Transitioning to Boston
Posted November 8, 2022 by Magenta Jasinski
Recently, I had a person who was close to me decide to leave the Simmons-Boston campus. This was a shock and a surprise to me, as she had only been on campus for five weeks when she announced this decision. The astronomical cost of living, the distance from family and friends, the frustrations she faced with her landlord, roommates, and other people in her life all contributed to this choice. Conversely, I’ve been in Boston since January, working at various internships and integrating myself into the life I’ve built for myself. Coming to Simmons this September was a relief after months of doing virtual classes andfeeling a tangible lack of community with other students. It was a joy to see my classmates inperson, and I felt everything click into place after I came on campus. I made the decision totransfer from my university in my hometown to prolong my stay in Boston for an unknownamount of time as I progress through my program and decide whether to stay or leave aftergraduation. I can’t imagine moving…
Setting Back the Clocks
Posted November 4, 2022 by Ivy Noonan
I feel like I just began the semester and now the countdown to Thanksgiving has begun and I’m currently in swirl of midterms. While that can be tiring, I’ve been taking breaks to remind myself to enjoy it. This is my last fall semester for a while and knowing myself I’ll probably miss it at the start of next September. For now I’m focusing on choosing my final library science class. I’m considering between 456 – Records Management, LIS 476 – Outreach & Advocacy for Cultural Heritage, or LIS 471-OL1 – Photographic Archives, or LIS 471-OL1 – Photographic Archives. Each one offers insight into a different side of Library Science that I’m interested in. I’m most likely going to take Records Management as I’ve heard this provides helpful experience working in a corporate archive, which I would love to work in. I’ve also began receiving emails about thesis topics. I hope my fellow pre-thesis-semester students are doing okay. It can be daunting but I’m incredibly excited about the prospect of really delving into my research…
Museum Adventures in Boston
Posted November 3, 2022 by Rebecca Devereaux
And the adventures continue! In this post I am going to focus on my obsession with the museums and libraries in the Boston area. Prepare for a lot of Rebecca’s brain in a perpetual explosion. My list of visits so far: The Central Boston Public Library (BPL), the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the immersive Monet and Impressionist exhibit, the Boston Athenaeum, the Simmons Library, and Emmanuel College’s Library. I have decided that the BPL is my favorite study space in Boston, at least at this point. I love seeing all the people interacting with books, research, and information. I am a fan of studying with the white noise of people moving around in the background, with children walking past, and with so many books at my fingertips. Beyond my visits to the BPL I also need to share about my visits, yes plural visits, to the MFA. I have been three times so far (each visit lasted multiple hours). I plan to go again tomorrow. And I have STILL not…
Outdoor Excursions
Posted October 31, 2022 by Rebecca Devereaux
The semester has found itself in a rhythm. I understand what is expected of me and how to accomplish it when it comes to course work. Things which used to be wild hurdles have just turned into everyday speedbumps. While I still keep google maps almost perpetually open on my web browser, I am beginning to gain confidence in my basic understanding of the layout for Boston and its landmarks. Even as I explore the city of Boston, I have also been branching out into the surrounding area. A few weekends ago I made the trip to New Hampshire to go on a hike/ leaf peeping. Side note: leaf peeping is not a thing out west. It was a totally new term for me. Anyways, I drove through New Hampshire at the height of its Autumn beauty. If you have ever doubted the calendar pictures which show a hill covered in trees of all shades of red, orange, and yellow, thinking they may perhaps be photo shopped, I am here to tell you this really…
Inciting Joy at Boston Bookfest
Posted October 31, 2022 by Claire Pask
This past weekend, I attended the Boston Book Fest, a day of readings, discussions, and more.While I enjoyed walking through Copley Square to visit the booths of various literary journalsand publishers, my favorite experience of the day was a panel session titled “How to Live:Purpose, Joy, and Dash of Philosophy” with authors Ross Gay, Kieran Setiya, and Ellen Warner,held in Old South Church. Though I attended the session to hear Ross Gay speak about his new book Inciting Joy—I’vegifted Gay’s Book of Delights to many a family member or close friend, and have multipleannotated volumes of his poetry on my bookshelf—I was pleasantly surprised by how much Ienjoyed the other speakers’ presentations, as the titles of their books had not originally piquedmy interest: Life is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way and The Second Half: FortyWomen Reveal Life After Fifty. My notes from the session almost read like a prose poem, though not one of Gay’s caliber:“justice is not separate from self-interest — you always must invite guests — speak well ofpeople…
Registration Is Coming…
Posted October 25, 2022 by Johnna Purchase
Last week one of the most-anticipated parts of my semester arrived – course listings! It seems that every year departments post their course offerings for the next term at just the right time; I’m not bored with my current classes per-say, but I am past the midway slump with more items crossed off my assignment lists than still on them, and my end-of-term papers are set squarely in my sights. Knowing how much work I have yet to do, dreaming about next semester and all of the new content I will get to learn is a welcome break. The new semester also promises a fresh start where I can readjust my schedule to try out a new mode of learning. This semester I stacked my course and work schedule so that I only have commitments Tuesday-Thursday. It’s a lot packed into a little bit of time, but I am really treasuring my four-days-in-a-row off too. Next semester I’m interested in experimenting with an online course or two as I’ve watched my roommate totally thrive with…
Overcoming Techphobia
Posted October 24, 2022 by Claire Pask
As an American born in the late ‘90s—not a millennial nor a Gen Xer—I guess I’m something of a “digital native.” Sure, I’m comfortable with most social media platforms and can figure out how to navigate any webpage or app with relative ease, but I’ve always been incredibly daunted by anything I saw as beyond the scope of my self-imposed tech barrier. I mean, I studied English literature as an undergraduate student, and my vision of my life as a librarian usually involves my future self in a hand-knitted wool cardigan surrounded by various dusty books and manuscripts—not sitting in an office writing code or thinking of the best ways to integrate new technology into my work. Any skill on the “techie” side of things—like the back end of that website I’m happy to transfer my data onto—seemed beyond my reach, out of my comfort zone. That idea is changing, and my LIS coursework is forcing me to reconsider my vision. Just this past week, I wrote an image into an HTML code and formatted…