Fa'11

I have started and restarted this blog entry so many times but each time I start I never am able to find the right words to express how I'm feeling. The 28 people in this photo changed my life. We lived together and we learned together and we all watched sixteen weeks fly bye. I miss all of them more than I can really express. Being home has been so hard and having all of them to go to when I'm sad has been what's helped get me through it. Each of them hold a very special place in my heart and I'm so blessed to be able to call them my friends. 

Sexual Healing

I know this is my first blog post in awhile, but when I saw this video clip tonight, I knew I had to post it. The video got me thinking about the society I live in and the way sex is viewed among people my age. In the video he talks about how people just consider sex to be recreation. I feel like sex has lost all meaning whatsoever from what God intended it to be. It seems like a thing to do just because people can and why not? I wonder what it is like to have guys that respect girls enough to ask their parent's permission and then to really date them without sexual pressure? In today's society, those same guys are at parties looking for the easiest target...the girls wanting attention and to be desired; the ones that will do whatever is necessary to get said guy's attention. It's a pathetic system.

God meant for sex to be something sacred and seeing this video tonight was just a sad reminder of how far people my age have strayed from that truth.

In the video he says, "think twice before you eat what society feeds us." This was my favorite line because there's so much truth to it. Sadly people my age tend to eat up most everything that gets tossed at them. The Good News however comes at the end of the video when he speaks of the redemption given freely through Jesus. God redeems us from our sins and there is no such thing as being too dirty or too sinful; He never turns his back on us. I hope this video gave you something to think about. I know I was definitely inspired hence I blogged for the first time in months.


Until next time.

Back To The Bull For Fall Break Weekend

So I have made a goal with myself. I Jenna Hutcheson am going to try and blog at least twice a week until Thanksgiving break. Knowing my schedule this is going to be a challenge but I started this thing and I am going to try and keep up with it better then I have been thus far. Just throwing it out there.

This weekend was my fall break so I was home for the first time since August. At first it was surreal just being back in North Carolina. I had no idea just how accustomed I was to life at CITYterm. I think the weirdest part was just being in my room again. It really didn’t even feel like my room. Mom and Holls picked me up from the airport Thursday night and all five Hutchies had our traditional chinese food dinner. 

The best part of the night though was definitely seeing Spence again.  I would just like to stop and say that my little brother…or at least he was little is GIGANTIC. A couple years ago I used to be able to win in physical fights with him. Well, not anymore. Spence rows crew at McCallie and I’m pretty sure if he wanted to he could beat the crap out of me. When I went to hug him he completely just picked me up and carried me in the house like it was no big deal. Clearly I am still in shock after seeing him.

Friday I went to my school for the afternoon. It was so good to see all of my friends but it was really strange being back. When I went to sign in at the front desk I had to put my name in the visitors column as opposed to the student one which just felt so funny. I spent lunch just catching up with people and then joined what will be my humanities class in the spring. I left at about 1:40 to go get a flu shot at the doctors office, which was boring the only good thing that came out of it, was a sparkly band-aid. Friday night I had dinner at Moe’s with my grandparents and then went to the East Chapel Hill High School football game with my best friend Lydia, which was fun despite East losing by so much I lost track eventually. Saturday night there was a dance at my school. Trinity dances have a reputation of being terrible and this one was no exception. It’s been this way since I was in middle school and it’s the saddest thing but it is what it is. Sunday was proclaimed "Family Day" by my mother. So we all slept in and then she made INCREDIBLE brunch. There was fruit, eggs, bacon, and my favorite fall treat pumpkin pancakes. That afternoon I got to spend time with my dear friend Gracie Diver, which was so fun and exactly what I needed to make the weekend perfect. Sunday night the Hutcheson family hosted a huge family cookout, which was delicious, and of course it was great to see my Aunt, Uncle, and Cousins.

Then Monday arrived (which was my Mom's birthday so..HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY!) and it was time to leave. I think I may be the worst packer in the entire world. I actually for the life of me can’t not over pack. Im starting to think it is a condition. I am embarrassed to say that I came home with one bag and definitely left with two...oops. I really don’t know what my issue is but a girl has to pack what a girl has to pack. I ran over to the school at around 3:20 to say a final goodbye to a few people. Then was whisked away to the airport by both the parental units. I checked my bags…yes both of them and then was off to my gate and La Guardia airport. 

Now I am back in The Big Apple. It was actually harder to leave North Carolina then I was anticipating. However now that I am back I'm so happy. This weekend Bryn and Kelsey come up and I am SO EXCITED. That fact alone is honestly what is getting me through the rest of this week! 

Until next time! (which fyi will be soon...because I am determined to blog more from now on!) 

Brooklyn Bridge Project Day!!

Today was the day that I got to present the Brooklyn Bridge project I spent six hours working on!! All of the CITYtermers got dressed up and presented our pieces in an art gallery of sorts. There were paintings, poems, drawings, monologues, videos, and even percussion pieces. When you put 29 creative kids to work with a common goal pretty amazing things result from it.

Anyway I chose to do a drawing of a picture I took on the bridge. I used a felt tip pen and sharpie and it took me quite awhile. Below are a few pictures of my piece and the paragraph I wrote for my author's explanation. Hope you enjoy!

Artists Statement: Through my drawing I was trying to convey the complexity of the wires of the Brooklyn Bridge as well as the many different ethnicities that have crossed the bridge. I explored the idea of the bridge bringing people from all over the world together in one place. I drew this based off a picture I took that I thought represented  the wires of the Brooklyn Bridge well. I drew some of the wires and the other wires were made out of words. All of the wires say, “There she stands tall and proud. A symbol of power and of life. Unchanging for all who cross beneath her complex and twisting wires.” Those sentences appear in about fifteen different languages representing all the different ethnicities who have come to cross from Manhattan to Brooklyn. That aspect of my project came from my experience standing in one place on the bridge and hearing about ten different languages within five minutes. 

Fast Forward Through My Recent Adventures

I apologize to anyone who reads my blog and has been irritated by the lack of posting that has been happening in the last two weeks. Words can't even begin to describe how hectic my life has been and unfortunately there is no POSSIBLE way (that was for you mom) that I can do justice to all the adventures I have been having. So I will attempt to summarize some of the highlights of the last two weeks. Here goes! 

Last week was spent entirely studying the Brooklyn Bridge. We spent an entire week focusing on nothing else. I spent two school days "creating a relationship" with the bridge. I found this a bit challenging so I'm not quite sure how successful my relationship is. After spending a week creating relationships and diving into the history of the bridge we were assigned a project, which is due tomorrow. 

This past week we spent focusing on the Lower East Side. Which is famous for things such as the Tenement Museum and Katz's Deli. We spent lots of time researching the area and exploring it for ourselves. I had the opportunity to spend time in the fourth oldest synagogue in the US. Words cannot describe how beautiful it was. The synagogue was being set up for a wedding and it was amazing. The whole place was flooded with this eery red light and we all just sat in awe for a good ten minutes. After the synagogue my group had a snack at Katz's Deli. Being a HUGE When Harry Met Sally fan I definitely got my tourist on and enjoyed every minute of it. 

Thursday night was especially interesting I got to go on a midnight run. Midnight Run is an organization that serves the homeless people in Manhattan. So a group of CITYtermers ready to serve drove to Manhattan with bagged meals, clothes, and smiles. We were in the city from about 9-11:30 and it was a very unique experience. I have done volunteering similar to this with organizations such as Meals on Wheels but, this was definitely very different. I ended up having the best time and had so many really interesting discussions with lots of people. I know personally I tend to stereotype homeless people as un-educated and think that they did this to themselves. My eyes were really opened by this experience and I really found most of the people I talked to extremely intelligent and they gave me some really great perspectives on life. My night did end with a grumpy old homeless woman screaming in my face (and actually I'm not exaggerating what so ever ask my advisor Jason!) But, it's all in the past and in looking back I loved every minute of it. 

This weekend was also pretty incredible. I know I am always saying things are incredible but actually that word best sums up my weekend. Friday night was movie night in the CITYterm dorm. We watched Do The Right Thing which was okay.....not much to say about it. Saturday we had school, the morning was spent in groups exploring different public spaces. My group spent the morning in Lincoln Center and then headed off to the 9/11 memorial. We got to meet one of the landscaping architects which was really neat. I was especially struck by just how big both of the towers were. I can't imagine them falling and I especially can't imagine being in New York and seeing them fall. Seeing the hundreds and hundreds of names was incredibly humbling and it made me very grateful for my family and all the things I'm blessed to have. 

Saturday night was spent in Soho with Kathleen, Tiffany, and Chase. For those of you who might not know, Soho is a very popular shopping district in Manhattan. I was on the hunt for a coat specifically and I not only came away with an adorable black coat from H&M but, also some really other cute things from a small boutique where everything in the store was 80% off!! I had my first taste of insane New York City driving. I really thought I was going to die in the cab back to Grand Central. But, I lived to tell the tale so it's all good! Today was more of a lazy day. I got up this morning and went to church with some good family friends then came home and spent six hours on my Brooklyn Bridge Project. My day was made when I received a package for my Aunt Laura with an ADORABLE new camera strap. I am so excited to show it off, so shout out to her for being the best Aunt ever! 

This coming week is going to be crazy as usual. I promise to try and do better though and get around to blogging..really I will! Fall break is in exactly 12 days. I love it here more than anything but, not gonna lie I am really excited to see my fam and sleep in my own bed. OHHH YEAH and the news that made my week: Two of my best friends Bryn Morgan and Kelsey Schaad are coming to visit me in October! I am so pumped for what is going to be the best weekend ever! 

Until Next Time! 

Pictures From This Weekend

"I Want To Wake Up In That City That Doesn't Sleep" -Frank Sinatra

I apologize to those who have been waiting for me to blog I have been extremely busy this weekend. However, I do have lots to talk about so here goes....

Friday, we went into the CITY and did a writing exercise regarding Ground Zero. We were split into groups and got to "Wonder and Wander," as they call it here, around the sight. Then we had the opportunity to write about anything we were thinking or had noticed while observing the area. I find it hard to describe the way I felt walking around this area that I've heard about my entire life. I was in second grade when 9/11 happened and only recall certain bits of the day and the days afterwards. It's funny what a child takes with them and what they don't. I remember the adults being upset. As I walked around I kept replaying the fragments that I remembered over and over in my head. Then I began to notice things like how the New Yorkers taking the subway right next to Ground Zero didn't seem to even notice that it was there. My group had the opportunity to talk to the head construction manager of the new building they are building there. He had been only two blocks away from the towers when they fell, his story literally gave me goose bumps. Today, we weren't allowed into the city as a safety precaution, but it was very much on my mind throughout the day. I am thoroughly looking forward to visiting the memorial which opens to the public tomorrow, in a couple of weeks. 

My last blog post was a picture of a man holding a sign that said, "Jesus is alive for evermore." I took that picture directly across from Ground Zero. My group had been standing near him observing the construction of the new building and I saw the man holding the sign. We were supposed to be looking at Ground Zero but for some reason, I couldn't take my eyes off the man. So, I decided to take a picture, I snapped a photo as quick as I could and then lowered my camera to my side but I wasn't quick enough. A man passing by looked me over and exclaimed, "taking a picture of the crazy guy huh?" Then he walked away without another word. I was dumbfounded at first I wasn't sure if he was actually mad at me for exploiting the man but then I realized that he wasn't mad, he truly thought the man was CRAZY. Just something for the tourists to snap pictures of when they come to New York City. That really struck me because that hadn't been my mindset at all when I had taken the picture. I had seen the man holding the sign and thought it was beautiful. That sign being held just feet from where ten years ago 9/11 had happened was beautiful. I was reminded again just how powerful the God we serve is and that even in a the place where such a tragedy had happened he was present in so many ways. Whether the man is crazy or not isn't the issue. Jesus is alive for evermore.

Saturday was one of my favorite days thus far. We had classes in the morning and then we were given the rest of the day to do what we wanted! ME and six other people ventured into the city to go shopping on 5th Avenue. I don't think I've ever been so overwhelmed and awestruck in my life! I spent a good hour in a Forever 21 that was six stories! I've never been in any store that was six stories in my life and quite frankly, I could get used to it. It was absolutely insane. We ate at Chipotle for dinner, which was delicious, it reminded me of home which actually didn't make me too sad. I also bought my very first metro card (card used for the subways.) I felt very grown up, not even gonna lie. It was a spectacular evening we were organized, we didn't get lost, and we didn't miss our train home. It was great! 

Today was a "chill day" I did TONS of homework and did two loads of laundry. And anyone who knows me, knows that I have a slight OCD situation going on. So for no particular reason, I cleaned our entire room top to bottom. I'm pretty sure I cloroxed every inch of our room and in the process creeped my roommates quite a bit. I went to the gym tonight and even got to ooVoo with two of my best friends from home, Abby and Bryn. It was a very good and relaxing day.

I love it here so much. I know I always say that, but each time I go into the CITY, I fall in love with it more and more. Who knew I would be the city girl type??? I certainly did not. I actually could see myself living here one day. Things in the dorm are great as well, I love my roommates so much, we all talk to each other in robot voices and have been for the past week. They are hysterical. The CITYterm community got invited to the Masters School Dance next Saturday night, which should be very interesting. I will hopefully have lot of pictures to post this coming week. Unfortunately I have to go finish my homework that is due tomorrow (not that I  procrastinate or anything.) 

Until next time!