INTERVIEW: Part 1

I interviewed my mom, I asked a few different questions and then that stemmed off to many little stories about her childhood experiences. 

• I lived in reading Massachusetts from the time I was born until I was in third grade, nine years old. We live in a neighborhood in a small ranch house. As a kid I played with the neighborhood kids and they were like second families. We would play outside all day and put on neighborhood dance shows and such. My best friend lived at the other end of our road. The road was u-shaped and probably a good half mile from end to end. I use to walk or ride my bike to her house, by myself. We didn’t worry about strangers at that time.
• I remember once I was going to visit her, pushing my doll stroller and walking there by myself. . I was about half way there when I came upon a dog, he growled and barked I was scared and turned around and came home. I told my mother that they weren’t home because I was embarrassed that I had been such a chicken. but she knew. Probably because she and my friends mom talked on the phone.
• My best friends name was also Debbie (the one who lived on the other end of the road) and we thought it was the coolest thing. We use to walk up to complete strangers and tell them to say “Debbie” and then we would look at each other and smile and say “Yesss?” at exactly the time and we would giggle and laugh. We thought it was hysterical

• Although we were best friends and always played together I was afraid to sleep over her house. We would always plan and try but usually around 11 or midnight I would go downstairs and say I missed my mom or house and my Grammie would come and pick me up.
• Yes, we are. I was actually in her wedding. We still keep in touch.
• She married her high school sweetheart….I always wondered if I would have followed a similar path if we stayed in the same town all my life.
• Most of my cousins still live in reading and married someone from high school or the same town. I think you form tighter bonds when staying in the same town and promised myself I would not move to a different town once my kids started school. I wanted them to form community bonds and life long friends.

• Yes and No. I know that life experiences change and mold us and that I was able to experience living in different states. but sometimes I wish I did and that I had graduated with kids that I went to kindergarten and grade school with. I think it is super cool that you are now in college and friends with kids you went to preschool with and have connected with people and formed tighter bonds with other “Gorhamites.”

• When we all got along? [When her and her two siblings got along, which presently is rarely]
• Growing up my sister and I fought, and my brother and sister fought a lot. It was always important for me that my kids be close because I was never close to my sister.
• She was pretty mean, one time she and Uncle David fought and she clawed his back with her fingernails and he still has scars.
• Uncle David and I always got along. I guess her cried when he found out he had another sister instead of a brother. but my mom said later he told her he loved me and would lay down and die for me.
• It’s really hard for me to think of a time when we all got along
• I guess we did regular stuff together. we had a hill in our back yard and use to sled with all the neighborhood kids. we also had an area way in the back that we use to ice skate on.

• When we moved to Georgia I was half way through third grade.
• It was definitely culture shock for me.
• They used different terms in the south and spoke with accents.
• We had a nice house and yard, but instead of dirt under the grass, it was red clay. I remember when we moved there I had a pair of white sneakers that later stained orangey because of the clay.
• I mostly hung out with kids from around the neighbor hood who were close to my age. I was 4 years younger than my brother and 5 years younger with my sister. They didn’t really hang around with me because I was the baby.
• It devastated my grandfather (Grammie’s dad) when we moved to Georgia. everyone in the family had always lived in the same town, but my dad was transferred and we had to move.
• We stayed there two year and my Dad was always looking for opening back in the northeast. a position for delta at the Portland jetport opened up and he applied for transfer. he got the job and we moved to Maine.

FAMILY ARTIFACTS: Part 2

For my family artifacts I have a spoon ring and then a picture of my sister and I at my grandmothers house. The spoon ring was my mother’s, she always likes to say, “Now you can tell all your friends you’re wearing something vintage!” My mom had a spoon ring and a spoon bracelet, which she gave to my little sister and I. Though we were suppose to share, I took the ring, and my sister has been bugging me ever since to switch with her every once in a while. However, whenever I leave for school I always take it with me, which always makes her angry. My mom loves that we both wear the bracelet and ring, since she wore them when she was younger.

The picture of my sister and I is at my grandmother’s house in Wolfeboro, NH. Her house is on a small lake called Rust Pond. It is my favorite place, and somewhere where everyone on my mom’s side comes together. I have endless memories that have happen at my grandmother’s house. Though my family could be apart for months, when we are all down on the dock laying by the water, it is like nothing was missed.

YOUR STORY: Part 3 

1. For my first semester of college, I went to Lasell College in Newton, MA. I had that idea that I wanted to get out of Maine, I wanted to spread my wings and experience new things. So off to Massachusetts I went. I was living in a triple, one roommate drank to much the first night, threw up, and then fell off her lofted bed. My other roommate was a drug dealer, who I pretty sure stole my clothes. The start of my college career was not looking very bright. Going to classes and being around campus, I just felt like I didn’t belong. The campus only has 1500 undergrads, and you could walk across it in 10 minutes. Though I thought I wanted a small school, I was beginning to realize that maybe this wasn’t the right fit for me. Talking to all my friends from home they were meeting new people and making friends on their floor, while with me it seemed that everyone kept to themselves, and only drank a lot or did illegal drugs on the weekend. I felt like I was in a rut. I began to make trips to Boston to fill my time and get off campus, since it was only a 40 min. train ride. I loved the city of Boston, so much culture, so much to explore, but I just couldn’t do Lasell. Since I was miserable at school, I would go home every weekend and spend time with my family, dreading having to go back to Lasell. After having another terrible meal from Sodexo of “mac’n’cheese pizza,” I made the official decision to move back to Maine, after spending only a semester at Lasell.
2. My sister and I would always go spend the day with my mom at school, whenever we had the day off. We loved going in and hanging out with the students, and experiencing the older grades. One time we were going to head to the playground for recess, my sister was younger and scared, so she was a little hesitant. Before I knew her fingers were slammed in the school doors, she started screaming and I freaked out. Not wanting attention drawn to us I quickly pulled her back in trying to comfort her and calm her down.
3. One winter my sister, my dad and I decided to take skiing lessons. My dad had skied before, but these lessons would be my sister’s and I first time. We rented all of the equipment and decided to take lessons at a small mountain in New Hampshire, called King Pine. My dad and I were in one group, while my sister went off with the little kids. My dad and I were stuck on the small bunny hill, and getting pulled up by a tug rope. Next thing we know my sister is riding up the mountain on the chair lift, waving down excitedly. My dad and I looked up in shock, and of course got a little competitive. We decided to go up the mountain even though neither of us were ready. We rode up together on the chair lift, and right before it was time to get off, the chair lift stopped. A couple chairs ahead where you get off a woman had fallen and was laying on the ground at the top of the mountain. I, of course started to freak out. This was my first time skiing and someone was already hurt. Everything started running through my mind, worrying that I would fall. About 20 minutes later and the lady finally got up. The chair lift started moving again. My dad held onto my elbow as we got off together, and it surprisingly went smoothly. So my first skiing trip was a success.

YOUR EDUCATION: Part 4

My goal for my education right now is to learn as much as I can while I am at school. I am taking advantage of everything that the campus has to offer and I am getting involved. I have a passion for volunteering and working with nonprofit organizations. If money wasn’t an option I would definitely work for a nonprofit organization. I learn these skills by being involved with organizations on campus. Alternative Breaks is completely not-for-profit and teaches its members core-values of creating an impact in a community. It also teach them how to fundraise and work with people they have never met. Colleges Against Cancer has taught me about public relations, creating excitement, and putting on an event for over 300 people. Being in Greek Life has taught me to get involved, make a difference, and to give back to the local and national community. I also love graphic design and typography, I would also be completely happy if I could work in the field. I have recently added Graphic Design as a minor, but learning outside the classroom I research artists and look at their work for inspiration. To work with typography I look up work of known artist, and I carry a sketchbook with me to whip out when inspiration comes along.

I balance in and out of school learning by bringing experiences that I have outside the classroom, into the classroom. Being involved in many things on campus can make homework and classes hard to manage. However, you have to realize when it is time to step back and what you have time to manage. Though I may be a leader in a couple of groups I have learned how to divvy out responsibilities. Also balance in and out of school learning requires a lot of time management. This is something that I think many college students learn, through classes, homework, social lives, and campus involvement.

A DAY IN YOUR FUTURE: Part 5

• Family, Friends, Getting a job-that I enjoy, Keeping close family ties, Staying active, Eat healthy, recognize the little things/staying positive, Making money, Travel

I definitely love the way that I grew up. Though when I was little I always wished that I we lived in the neighborhood, looking back now I love that I lived kind of on the outskirts of town. I want my family to continue to be as close and as open as it was when I was growing up. I would like to continue learning beyond just when I am done school. By that I mean learning through experiences and continuing to apply and grow my skills. Since I haven’t had the chance to leave the country yet I would love to backpack across Europe, and though I would love to travel outside the country, I want to explore more of the U.S. Exploring different kinds of food. Getting a job that I really enjoy, and that I am passionate about. Maybe working for a non-profit organization.