Here’s how I spent my Spring Break:

Philadelphia Flower Show:

I met my parents and grandmother at the Convention Center on Saturday morning to see the Philadelphia Flower Show for the first time. I had never been to a flower show before and was surprised to see the place so crowded. The Philadelphia Convention Center was converted into an indoor garden showcasing different climate landscapes and gardens, prized plants and flowers, gardening tools for sale, and workshops on designer plant decorating. Some horticulture departments from universities like Temple even submitted ecosystem modules showing the effects of humans on nature. I now have a new appreciation for gardening and environmental protection. Other highlights from the show included flower towers about 20 feet tall and the bonsai displays.

Family Time:

I always spend a lot of time with my grandmother when I’m home from school. I even slept over at her house for a night. She likes to take me out to eat, and this time, we took a walk at the Celery Farm in Allendale, NJ.

Vassar College:
My boyfriend goes to Vassar, so I visited him while he was not on break yet. I found it interesting to experience a college different from my own, especially a co-ed school. I spent a lot of time in the Vassar library while my boyfriend was in class or thesis-ing. Vassar’s library is beautiful, and I couldn’t stop taking pictures. On the other hand, Vassar’s dining hall food is lacking compared to Bryn Mawr’s.

Pokemon Tournament:

I experienced my first Pokemon Tournament this past weekend at King’s Games in Midwood, Brooklyn, NYC. I was never into video games as a kid, so I felt really out of place. I didn’t really understand the Pokemon battle moves. Apparently, for this tournament they play a Swiss round: 5 rounds of best out of 3 games. The top 8 make it to quarterfinals. These battlers have been playing Pokemon for ages, and some have went on to Pokemon regionals, nationals, and world championships. Some of them are even YouTube famous gamers who film themselves battling Pokemon. The level of complexity Pokemon can get to still amazes me. Who knew that adults still played Pokemon…

Back at the Mawr:
3.25 hours on the NJTransit and SEPTA later, I’m back at Bryn Mawr and Spring Break is now over. In other years, I chose to spend my breaks doing a LILAC intensive or an externship with a Bi-Co alum. This year, I relaxed and took it easy. I am well rested and ready to get back to work…