As the semester is coming to an end (10 more days! YIKES) it is really starting to hit me that I am leaving Penn GSE and starting a new chapter in my life. Talk about scary!

Last Thursday I had the opportunity to visit New York City to apartment hunt. One of my closest friends in the program, Dan, was also offered a position post-graduation in New York so he came and checked out some places as well.

The experience wasn't as bad as I would have expected and I was able to secure a place in the Upper West Side/Morningside Heights area. It's perfect! My room has three closets, is big enough to fit a sofa AND full sized bed (which is unheard of in New York) and still have enough room for a dresser. The cost of rent... well that's a different story. The biggest plus is that it is only a 30 minute subway ride to midtown Manhattan where my office is located. It's going to be so nice using the commute time to read (and it won't be related to school).

I am so excited for this next chapter in my life and am forever indebted to the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education for all the opportunities it has provided for me. Ten days and two more papers and I will officially be a master.

11:52 AM

The best part about living in Philadelphia is the troves of art scattered throughout the city. From the Philadelphia Museum of Art to the Mutter Museum to the Kimmel Center, here in Philadelphia you will never be at a loss for culture.

Last week, I took a little study break to check out The Franklin Institute. The featured exhibit from now until September is "The Science of Pixar". Monster's Inc. is my favorite movie, so I was really excited to check out the exhibit and see how the movie was made. I never noticed just how many intricate steps are involved with making each Pixar movie. It was a lot of fun with lots of interactive pieces. If you are in the Philadelphia area for this weekends Master's Admit Program I would definitely encourage you to check it out.

Entrance to the museum of the Franklin Institute.

My friend and I posing in an action figure box.

7:38 AM

Bad news: Spring break just ended.
Good news: I'm employed post-graduation!

The Friday before Spring Break I was offered a job working for the Institute of International Education as a Placement Officer and will be moving to New York City in May! As much as I am going to miss Philadelphia and Penn specifically, I am really excited to the next chapter in my life.

Before I was offered the position I was already planning to go to the city to check out New York University. One of the assignments in my Enrollment Management course is to interview professionals at other institutions to see how they recruit, yield, and retain students. NYU is my school of focus. I also used this opportunity to check out my new future home!  I had a lot of fun exploring the city and eating some GREAT NYC pizza.

Graduation is May 14 and I start my new job May 16. Yikes! Now, it's time to find a NYC apartment ($$$).

Keep following my adventures here at Penn and I can't wait to meet all the newly admitted students the first week of April!

Exploring my new home

Some of the friends I've made in Philadelphia who I am truly going to miss. We went to a restaurant in South Philly to celebrate Sara's birthday after I came back from NYC.

12:51 PM

The dreaded comps weekend is this weekend. That's right, the exam that determines if I graduate from this program or not! Yikes! No pressure or anything...

As I am compiling all the previous course material that has been assigned throughout the past nine months and reviewing key themes and reoccurring concepts pertinent in contemporary and historic higher education, I cannot help but reflect on all that I have learned this past year and how truly grateful I am to work with great faculty members who are pioneering research in education. The same people that stand before me in the Penn GSE classrooms are the same people who stand before Congress to advise on certain policy decisions, who run national associations, and much much more. I am truly blessed to be associated with such scholars who are changing education, not only in America, but on a global scope.

The most obvious way that I have seen the transformation and growth is through job interviews. I have been on three job interviews as I try to plan my post-graduation life. This program has helped me more confidently answer questions during job interviews, use the lexicon employers are looking for, and draw from prominent research to back up what I am saying. I am so excited for my future and truly grateful for all that Penn GSE has provided for me. This program has transformed me into a confident, well-versed, and highly prepared higher education professional and analytical thinker.

Keep your fingers crossed for me this weekend! And feel free to e-mail any questions. We are more than happy to help you decide if Penn GSE is the right fit for you.

Philadelphia night life, about a twenty minute walk from campus.

A cohort bonding night wouldn't be complete without French fries. YUM!

My friend Sarah and I taking a study break and enjoying a furniture gallery opening.

4:43 PM

Twelve. That's the number of assignments that stand between me and my M.S.Ed. in Higher Education. It is unbelievable how fast this semester is going. I am frightened, yet excited, about the next chapter in my life when I, for the first time in my life, will no longer be a student.

I have written down every assignment I have to do on a post it note. I have stuck each post it note on the wall in my bedroom (organized by class) and after each assignment is submitted I take the post it note off the wall and throw it in the trash. I love visually being able to see all the assignments I have to do getting smaller and smaller and seeing how much closer I am to my degree.

Although I only have 12 more assignments, there is one other dooming thing that stands between me and graduation: the comprehensive examination or "comps". Comps is an exam that all Higher Education students need to take in order to graduate from Penn.  Needless to say, I am terrified for the exam. It is scheduled for February 26- Februray 29 so don't try and contact me that weekend, I will be locked in the library taking the exam for three days straight.

Overall, the semester has been going great. I am really enjoying my time here at Penn and engaging with world-renowned faculty everyday.  My favorite class I am taking is Equity & Diversity in Higher Education with Dr. Shaun Harper. The class in engaging, thought-provoking, and powerful. It makes me want to create a world that promotes access and equity in the academy.

If you have not yet submitted your application to Penn GSE, be sure to do so soon! We are here to help should you run into any problems.

Find your passion here!

The 12 things that stand between me & graduation.

12:57 PM

As most of you have probably heard the East Coast has been plagued with a brutal storm, one that hit Philadelphia pretty hard. This meant my Saturday has been spent catching up on class readings, getting a head start on some papers that are due later in the semester, and, of course (!), eating, baking, and watching an embarrassingly amount of Netflix. There is something so peaceful about the snow. Growing up in Las Vegas, I didn't experience snow very much, so I am happy that I am currently living in a place that experiences a "true" winter.

This upcoming week has lots of fun stuff, that I am super excited about. I am just about finishing my class schedule--I feel like I have changed it a million times! That's probably one of my least favorite parts of this program--you only have ten classes so you have to choose them wisely (the curriculum FOMO is REAL!). Hopefully I will have everything squared away by the end of the week.

Philadelphia's Restaurant Week is also this week, where one can go to various restaurants across the city and order a large, three-course meal for only $35.  On Tuesday, I am going to El Vez with some friends in the program for a well deserved dinner. After almost a month without seeing them I am so excited to catch up and hear about everyone's break.

Have any questions about the GSE experience that I haven't answered? Feel free to ask me. We hope to see your application soon.

5:03 PM

Welcome 2016 & welcome to the Spring semester. I cannot believe how fast this program is going. It's crazy that I only have five more months here at GSE. I made some changes to my schedule. This semester I will be taking the following courses:

• Politics & Education
• Enrollment Management
• Independent Study
• Human Sexuality

I am so excited to learn and engage in the GSE community even further. Continue to follow me on Philly adventure this semester full of job searches, reading, and more!

10:41 AM