Re-Orientation, T-Shirts and Concussions

Today was a rather momentous occasion, our first Monday of City Semester. The day for me started off with a bang-math class! While I was thoroughly enjoying myself learning the wonders of polar coordinates, my other classmates were enjoying their frees (or arts/ other activities...). After math, I journeyed to the 'clubhouse' for our morning coffee and brief re-orientation (because we had been sufficiently de-oriented during the first week) where I enjoyed a nice cup of hot chocolate. It was shaping up to be a good day. 

We remained in the clubhouse for an interesting ethics presentation where we shared our personal objects and descriptions of New York City. We then broke up into groups to illustrate how all of our objects connected. The half-finished products can be seen below!

Next came an interdisciplinary class combining history and science in the city. We learned about the politics of the grid systems and how the system New York chose reflected their hope for the future of the City. The original plan consisted of about 150 streets going from east to west, with 12 avenues from north to south. The aim was to have easy access to the ports and promote the growth of commerce. Howie then educated us on the topography of the city, the animals that it and some interesting Civil War trivia! 

After completing a list of plants and animals in New York, we split up into our tribes in preparation for our two day quest. My fellow Starz and I journeyed to the depths of the Fieldston school to the print room. After about fifteen minutes of blood, sweat and tears our City Semestarz t-shirt was born. 

Switch gears to a double period language class, my chinese teacher gave us a fantastic surprise, we were to be having mini-quizzes (小 小考 to you chinese students out there) every single class! Oh joy! The rest of chinese class was spent discussing Jacob Koffler's concussion, Katy Perry, Rihanna and High School Musical. 

Alas, our first Monday was coming to a close. I found myself standing in the clubhouse once again, wondering how the day had passed so quickly (I wasn't really wondering that, it just seemed like a good thing to say). The school day officially ended with Bessy and I listening to some tunes in the clubhouse (we were shortly joined by Mr. Meyers, or A-dizzle, as I like to call him) and working on our offering for the one and only Robert Moses (the final product is seen below). 

Fellow City Semester students, I would like to leave you today with a final remark. Good luck on your respective journey's tomorrow.  Please don't be intimidated by the City Semestarz prestige and skill, it will only make you more nervous. I know it will be a long and hard journey, but I am sure that all of your fairly capable tribes will make it through unscathed. 

 The half-finished drawings from ethics class!

The City Semestarz beautiful project (props to myself and Bessy... but mostly Bessy) 

Good luck tomorrow, 

Kate Hirsch