Famous Last Words

Writing this blog has been fun and frustrating, but overall, it's been fascinating. Here are just a few things I learned while writing for you each week:

Follow your passions, and encourage others to do the same! None of the women we featured on this blog would have reached their goals if they weren't excited about their work.

Blogging is hard work! Figuring out what will interest readers while keeping posts informative and short is a skill I've (hopefully) developed.

Women have, and continue to reach success in political and leadership roles; from Nancy Pelosi to Angela Merkel, women  are taking a place at the table. While we are far from gender equality, women have assumed an important role in organizations and governments across the world.

There's no one answer to increase political interest among girls. Maybe we should encourage political organizations to reach out to teenagers, or require schools to teach more courses on American politics. Whatever the solutions may be, showing girls that politics is an exciting, accessible and important interest is key.

If there's one thing you take away from this blog, let it be this: 

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It's one of the most impactful pieces of advice I've ever received, so now I'm passing it to you.
- Susanna

Oh DEAR!

Throughout elementary school, I loved whenever my teachers brought us to the library to Drop Everything And Read. Growing up I read anything and everything, so whenever I can find the time at school, I take a break and settle down with a book.

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Right now I'm reading Bill Bryson's Notes from a Small Island, which chronicles his travels through the United Kingdom. It's unique, interesting and funny, so check it out here! What are you reading right now? Let us know!

Not Just for Cookies...

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When I was little, I would run to the door every time Girl Scouts delivered their boxes of goodness… I mean cookies. My sisters and I were never Girl Scouts, but I would see my friends head off to meetings and I couldn't help but be jealous of their badges and camping trips. 

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Girl Scouts is for girls of all backgrounds, interests and ages. Being a Girl Scout is still a great thing to do in high school! You can find troops all over the world, and each Girl Scout can earn badges, go hiking and camping, and volunteer in her local community. From first aid to financial savvy, Girl Scouts fosters practical skills, confidence and leadership in each and every girl. Check out what you can do with Girl Scouts here!

Justice Sandra Day O'Connor 

Many leaders in business, science, and politics participated in Girl Scouts, such as Associate Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Justice O'Connor grew up in Texas and Arizona, and joined the Girl Scouts before attending Stanford University and Stanford Law. After starting her own law firm and serving as a judge, she was appointed as the first woman on the Supreme Court bench. Justice O'Connor served on the Court for over 24 years before retiring in 2006. Today, she continues to write and hear federal cases. She also founded iCivics, a website for teens to learn about our government through games and activities. Now that's a Girl Scout!

Daily Inspiration (and Olympics!)

"She who has the will to win, cannot be beaten"

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Good luck to the US women's hockey team in the gold medal match this Thursday!

Snow Day Surprise

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Winter in New England means plenty of snow, which means snow angels, skiing and snowball fights! But since we all live on campus, we can easily make it to class no matter how many feet of snow are piled outside our dorms. Snow days are a rare treat, but the storm last week us with snowed in professors and a foot of the fluffy white stuff. After spending so many hours inside recently, I jumped at the opportunity to get out of the library and play in the snow with some friends. 

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Next time you have a snow day (for all the northerners out there), grab friends, siblings or even your parents and get outside! Go sledding, make a snow(wo)man and enjoy the day! Before the hot chocolate and movie marathon of course...

Office Hours

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One of the things I loved most about high school was how close I became with all of my teachers. Many of them seemed (and acted) like a second set of parents. They were never afraid to yell at me when I needed it, but offered more support and advice than I could ever ask for. When I first arrived at college, I immediately missed the hours I would spend talking with my high school teachers about academics, celebrities or surviving life in high school. But I soon learned I still had the chance to develop relationships with my professors.

Office hours are a time for students to meet with their professors outside of class time and discuss their work, the course or really anything they want! It's a great time to talk more about something you might not have covered in class, or anything you're confused about. If there's one thing I always wish I did at the end of each term, it's that I went to more office hours and got to know my amazing professors even better. Your teachers may give you hours of homework and tests, but they really are invaluable!

The Real Olivia Pope

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Nearly two years ago, I came across a commercial for a new show called Scandal. Set in Washington, DC, the show features actress Kerry Washington as crisis management consultant Olivia Pope. At first I was unsure what a 'crisis consultant' did exactly, but I soon learned that Olivia handles all of Washington's problems, no matter how crazy. Everything from corruption to murder by high government officials, when Olivia's on the case, "it's handled." (Her, and now my, favourite saying!)Olivia exudes confidence, and her fearless personality makes her respected and trusted by all of her colleagues. 

Although the scandals Olivia handles on the show every week are fictional, the inspiration for her character comes from Judy Smith, a crisis management expert for the last twenty five years in Washington, DC and Los Angeles. 

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Judy Smith is the President of Smith & Co, a crisis management firm she founded. She draws on communication, media, legal and political knowledge she honed over the years working for public relations firms, NBC, the US Attorney of the District of Columbia, and the White House under George W. Bush. Judy's worked with countless high profile clients and corporations, and has even counseled federal agencies and multiple heads of state. Her resume's more than I can list, so check it out here!

Judy attended Boston University, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Relations. From Boston University, she graduate from the American University Washington College of Law. At American, Judy was the first African-American women to be the Executive Editor of the Law Review. Talk about fearless!

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Quick Plug! You may Love Boston University too!
Boston University is set right in the heart of Boston, and with over 33,000 students, 10,000 faculty and 250 areas of study, there's so much to explore. BU boasts over 500 student organizations, including 85 Broads, UNICEF Campus Initiative and Student Government. Check out their website here for more information on their campus and student life!

Notebook Central

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One of the easiest and most important things you can do to be successful in school, activities and just life in general is to stay organized. There's so much to keep track of with assignments, emails and appointments that I can't keep it all in my head! Every day, I write all my class notes in a big three subject notebook, and my assignments and plans in a small, patterned notebook like these from Etsy. What do you do to stay organized? Let us know below and we'll try it out!

Positive Publicity

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After reading Julia's post a few days ago, I came across this amazing ad campaign by Diesel. Diesel searched for models of all backgrounds, and created an ad campaign celebrating every individual. Jillian Mercado, the woman on the right, is battling muscular dystrophy, yet leads an active life as a fashion blogger and photographer. And trust me, she totally works the camera! No matter how tough my day has been after classes, meetings and practice, women like Jillian inspire me to keep going!

How to: Discover Europe in 36 Hours

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This spring, I'll be studying abroad in Paris to work on my French, live with a French family, and eat all the crepes I possibly can. And while I'm more than excited to explore Paris and the rest of France, I can't help but want to take advantage of all that Europe has to offer. But with full time classes and all those crepes to be eaten, I'll only have time on the weekends to discover the rest of the continent. Luckily, a friend told me about the New York Times 36 Hours series. Each book (they cover many different regions) details 36 hour itineraries of museums, restaurants, and cultural hotspots in different cities. With plenty of maps and reviews, this guide won't be far out of reach!

#readwomen2014

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2013 was the year of the hashtag. From Twitter to Instagram to Facebook, from #SFBatKid to #Royalbaby, hashtags were everywhere. And 2014 isn't any different. Hashtags can be serious, inspirational or just plain hysterical. Today nearly every teenager with a phone or computer uses hashtags to comment on #whatever #their #heart #desires.

The other day, as I was procrastinating on Buzzfeed (I promise this rarely happens), I came across an article about #readwomen2014. Joanna Walsh, a writer and artist, created bookmarks of her favourite female authors to send to friends as New Year's cards. Little did she know, she was starting a movement to change reading habits across the literary world. When the bookmarks became more and more popular, Walsh turned to Twitter to produce a reading list of only female authors, using the hashtag #readwomen2014. More and more people jumped on the bandwagon, and began tweeting their own lists of their favourite female writers. A few writers and reviewers have even pledged to only read women authors in 2014.

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Men and women publish about the same number of books, and women read more than men, though male authors are featured far more often in literary reviews and journals. We find ourselves reading histories and mysteries penned by Paul Fussell and Stephen King, instead of Laura Hillenbrand and Dorothy Sayers. #readwomen2014 hopes to diversify the books both men and women read, giving them a new perspective while celebrating the amazing work of women writers. 

At college, I'm usually so busy with classes and activities that I don't have time to read anything, let alone female authors. But this year, I'm going to try! And when I do find time to read, the books won't be the classics of Charles Dickens or Thomas Hardy, but of my favourite female writer, Virginia Woolf. 

Who are some of your go-to female authors? Let us know and we'll check them out!

Just Keep Swimming

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When I first came to college, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I came from a small high school with a tight knit group of friends, and soon found myself lost. I had so much free time that I didn't know what to do with myself, let alone how to make new friends. I called my sister for advice, and she told me to be patient (something I'm not very good at), and give everything some time. As an older sister, of course she was right, and a few weeks later I felt like I had been on campus for years. Whether you're starting at a new school, a new activity, or are just feeling overwhelmed, don't give up! Pretty soon you'll feel like a pro, so like Dory says, just keep swimming!

Introduction: Susanna

Hey everyone! My name is Susanna and I'm a sophomore at a small New England college. I live in London, England, but my family is 100% American (I'm a Jersey girl, born and bred). I'm a government major, and a French minor. At school I play for the club ice hockey, field hockey and figure skating teams, and I am a member of a national sorority. I'm involved with the public policy center on campus, and hope to work in law or government after graduation. I love to travel, and this spring I'm studying abroad in Paris, which I could not be more excited for!