W - Wind & Rain - On July 26, EC was in the midst of Summer Registration III. The last third of the incoming Class of 2016 were on campus, taking assessments, while I was at work in the Mark Twain Exhibit in Hamilton Hall. All of a sudden I noticed the sky turn an eery grey and it start to rain. At first the rain was light, then it grew to a downpour and eventually was falling in horizontal sheets of water. The mist and the fog rolled in and I could not even see across the street from Hamilton Hall. When the mist subsided, I saw the damage. Trees were down everywhere; in the middle of Washington Avenue and all over the lawn by the newly renovated Cowles Hall. Because the power went out (and would continue to be out for three days), we had to evacuate our building. It was not until I walked across campus that I realized the extent of the tree damage. There were trees and debris in the puddle. Two trees even uprooted and fell and broke two benches next to the Fountain. In the days that followed, I saw professors, Administrators, and students outside helping to clean up debris. The 2012 Tornado is a moment that everyone who was on campus will think back to and remember how close of a community Elmira College really is.
A - All the World's a Stage - This summer, not only did I conquer my biggest fear (tornado), but I also visited and did a lot of things I have not had the time to do in the Finger Lakes/Southern Tier area. One weekend, I travelled to Ithaca to see all of the cool little shops that the Ithaca Commons has to offer. Many of the stores were antique/consignment shops, while others were handmade crafts that would make beautiful gifts. Even though I did not buy anything on that trip, I enjoyed just looking at all of the boutiques! I was also able to attend the Chemung County Fair. Where I grew up, county fairs are always the places to go during the summer. Since I was not home for the summer, I took a short trip to Big Flats and watched the truck and tractor pulls one afternoon! It was a little piece of my hometown in my other home!
R - Reading by the Puddle - One of my favorite things I did this summer involved the Puddle and good book! Sitting on a blanket by the Puddle with the sun gazing down on you is a great feeling and during the chaos of the term, we forget about it. This summer I was able to reconnect to a great feeling that made me love living in Alumni Hall my freshman year at EC.
M - The Mark Twain Study - One of the greatest little treasures of American Literature sits on the Elmira College campus. Before I became a Mark Twain Ambassador, I had never set foot inside the Study. Once I worked there everyday, I could understand the magic that the building carries to many people. This summer I encountered visitors from Las Vegas, North Carolina, England, Australia, and Japan. There is such a history in that Study that you do not realize until you are stepping foot inside the place where Samuel Clemens wrote his great works of literature. What amazed me the most is when people would point to a picture of Mr. Clemens sitting by the window and then ask if he really sat there. I think a lot of students forget that Elmira College and Elmira, NY has a lot of rich history that we students need to take advantage of and learn from.
Spending the summer at Elmira was one of the best decisions I made, I learned a great deal about myself and enjoyed making many new friends!
I hope everyone has a great Fall!
**Photo Credits: Elmira College Office of Public Relations
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