Before entering the Metropolitan Theatre, I was excited because this was my first opera as to the many first time events I have been to in our IDC class. I loved the atmosphere from the outside being very grand to inside being cozy as well as luxurious. The theatre was packed and our seats were considerably nice. The opera began instantaneously; it took me by surprise even when I was looking at the stage the whole time. The curtains went up immediately and it began with a very gray and dark stage, where I only saw the glimpse of a few prisoners for the first few moments.

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?

Before attending the common event for Macaulay, I was a little unsure of how exciting a poetry reading would be. After hearing the first poem, though, I was reassured that this would be a good experience. Her style was unique, and although I didn't quite understand the message of everything she read, I was definitely captivated by her use of language as an art form. As the other poets stood at the podium and recited there work I was impressed and very moved at times, but I felt most moved by the final, Native American poet.

    Upon arriving at the Macaulay  honors college for Thursday night's common event, I was surprised to see that it was a reading of poetry, not of literature or of any other more scholarly subject. I was quite happy to find that Macaulay common events were not as conservative as I previously thought. It was refreshing to see and hear a young group of people express themselves through poetry, and it was an event that was very contrasting to any other Macaulay event we've ever been to. Overall, the experience was good.

I love subways. From the graffiti coated hulks of decades past, to the sleek, energy efficient models of today, every subway has a story to tell. Ever since I was a child I've been fascinated with the city and the seemingly infinite amount of possibilities that are presented here every day. New Yorkers have the extraordinary ability to to leap from lily pad to lily pad, each time soaking up a new experience. At the heart of this ability are the subways. My favorite, and most defining aspect of living in New York City is that people can re-invent yourself every time they walk out the door.