Downton Abbey in Vanderbilt—Writing Studio

by Irene Liu

Writing Studio is where we revise papers. It is located on the end of Edgehill Avenue, like an ancient castle. There’s a large courtyard in front of the door and a stone stair in front of the yard.

 

It is not yet the season-changing time, but falling maple leaves—with mixed color of yellow, orange, and red—pile on the dark ivory steps, scatter on scarlet wooden benches, sweep across brown marble floor. Those leaves, like my yearning for hometown Beijing, China where golden ginkgo leaves would bury me in autumn, is everywhere on campus. The boundary between autumn and winter in Beijing is so clear when municipal heating supply arrives. I don’t see the boundary in Nashville, as temperature can change from 20 ℃ to 7 ℃ in two days and bounce back several days latter. Every time I see sunshine falls in that yard, I wonder if the sun also visits Beijing and brings my longing to my family. I wonder whether my little sister still covers her nose when she wanders through the street full of smelly ginkgo fruits. I wonder whether my grandpa still gets up at 5am and runs around the park near my home. I wonder whether my mom is still energetic about working out and shopping. I wonder whether my dad is still unsatisfied with his stable job.

Writing studio is a place for love to grow.

 

Every time I enter writing studio, I feel like entering an old novel—Wuthering Heights, Mansfield Park, or Northanger Abbey. No matter which mansion it is, various fantastic stories are generated and profound thoughts are provoked by brilliant souls inside. I talk with tutors about Antony and Cleopatra and understand Cleopatra’s typical characteristics described by Aristotle and Wordsworth—her prototype comes from real life, her sophisticated personalities are open to interpretation, her villain are rooted in human nature. I talk with tutors about Wuthering Heights and find out the subversive power Nelly, the servant, has in the novel. She controls the narration and characterization by telling stories to the primary narrator Lockwood; she injects her merits and value to two Catherines and Hareton when raising them up.

Writing studio is a place for ideas to grow.

 

Every time I leave writing studio, I stand against the door and stare through the yard at the car road. Are there couples cuddling on the bench like every literary comedy ends? Are there lost souls like me who wish to leave their footprints on this place.

As I walk down the steps, everything goes back to routine. Cars move slowly on the road; people trot on the pedestrian with phones in their hands. I tighten my jacket and head towards the next class.

Hello Friends,

I hope you  are as happy to be reading this new post as I am to be writing it. It is a little different from the others, as this time I was based in my Arkansas hometown, not our lovely Nashville. Now that all of us have returned to our beautiful campus filled to the brim with food and more than likely spent some Netflix binge watching, we must grind through the last few weeks of the semester. Squeeze your Vandy pals tight, finals are upon us. May your grades be merry and bright, and may your upcoming Christmas break be white.

xx,

Sophie

EAT:

Obviously the most important part of my feature this week … the FOOD. For Thanksgiving day, my family always has a traditional feast that could feed a small army.  A fun fact about me is that I can legitimately cook. Not in an ‘I made easy Mac and didn’t burn the dorm down’ kind of way, but rather in an ‘I can cook almost anything in a Southern Living cookbook and actually have it turn out well’ kind of way.  Cooking and baking are things that have been so present in my life for so long that I really had no choice but to learn how to do them! Thanksgiving provides the perfect opportunity to refine my skills, as I usually end up making a few dishes for T Day myself and help with other dishes. Below are some of the foods we baked and then devoured on Thanksgiving Day. I am going to have to eat plain lettuce for the next 10 days to make up for all the things I have consumed over break. As Vandy students would say, it was a full send occasion. #worthit

WEAR:

My style superlatives: Classic, Bold, Fun. If this is your style too, then you will ADORE some of the pieces I wore this week. I learned at an extremely young age from my mother’s closet that life is much too short to wear boring clothes. Over the years my closet has held many standout pieces. An outfit can go from standard to beyond amazing by adding a few funky items. Too many times I have heard people say that they aren’t bold enough to wear these fun items or they just don’t think it would ‘work’ on them. Well, I am here to tell you that this is simply not true. If you love something, do NOT be afraid to wear it. Be adventurous with your clothing. The item you are afraid to wear could just be the thing that ties your whole look together. This is your life, and you get to chose how you style it.

DO:

CAPTURE 

If any of you follow me on Insta then you already know how obsessed I am with taking pictures, but you probably do not know why. A few years ago I encountered this idea by Warsan Shire: “Document the moments you feel most in love with yourself-what you’re wearing, who you’re around, what you’re doing, Recreate and Repeat.”  For some reason, this idea stuck with me, and I have constantly been seeking to capture more of my moments via photos ever since. I challenge you to do the same. When you’re happy, when you’re exploring, or even when you feel a little lost, take a picture and remember the moment. The photos I have accumulated over the years doing this remind me of so many things and places life has taken me. Once you try it, you’ll be hooked too. Here are some of the best moments I captured over break:

 

COLLECT

Let me start by saying I do not collect things. I collect words. Weird as that may sound, I am a huge believe in the power of words to change a life. Some of my books are marked heavily, my Pinterest boards are overflowing, and my walls are covered in words. Collect whatever you find power in, and use it to fuel your passion. A little bit ago, I decided to cover my bedroom wall in pictures and quotes I loved.. and then an obsession started. I dare you to try it! Print out images, tear out pages, create art, and begin to cover your walls in things that inspire you to live each day anew. Doing this allowed me to find more happy in my day to day. I have SLOWLY begun to cover my dorm room walls in quotes and pictures, but it has already made a world of difference for me. I look up, see the words, and remember why I love them so dearly. If you end up even a little bit happier for having done this, isn’t that enough? I encountered more quotes over this break that will absolutely make an appearance on my dorm walls in the next few days.

BURN OFF

Like I said before, Thanksgiving means delectable food. Hardly anyone is going to pass up good food, so it seemed a workout was absolutely the best addition to my agenda. It is probably a good thing it is not bikini season just yet. Nonetheless, I recently joined OrangeTheory Fitness. It is a half cardio half weight training focused workout that boasts hundreds of calories burned every class. (No seriously, you BURN like crazy!) Another major feature of this workout is a focus on ‘after burn’ to keep you torching more calories all day. As soon as I was back to Nash, I took a class to start working off the turkey. Looking to try it out? The first class is free, and they will set you up before class begins so you aren’t fumbling in the wind as they tell you to change paces! I hope to run into you there … I’ll be the one dying on the treadmill 😉

Nashville, TN- Lady Antebellum plays at the Country Music Hall of Fame for Music Happens Here

Lady Antebellum is one of the premier country trios that have been ranking on the charts over the past eight years. If you aren’t familiar with them, kick back into your memory and think about the jams you listened to in the fifth grade. You most likely remember a song called “Need You Now.” Well that was a #2 billboard chart hit and my #1 elementary school bop by Lady Antebellum.

Lady Antebellum performed Friday, Nov.10, at the Country Music Hall of Fame for the Hilton Honors promotion “Music Happens Here”. Music Happens Here is a partnership between Hilton, Spotify, The GRAMMYs, and LiveNation to spread live music performances and traveling opportunities to Honors members. Hilton Honors is a benefits program available to people who book through Hilton. Nashville is only one of the cities that Music Happens Here has as a destination with London, Los Angeles, New Orleans and Seattle being the others.

The members of Lady Antebellum, accompanied by their longtime band, put on a great show playing an even mix of both old and new songs. A very special moment was their dedication of the song “Army” in honor of the veterans and veteran families in the room. Another great moment is when Charles Kelley being the silly, lovable person that he is, hopped off stage to dance with a woman in the crowd. While still singing. He also decided to sing a snippet of Josh Groban’s “You Raise me Up” after fellow band member Hillary Scott made a joke about how you never attempt to sing songs by Whitney Houston, Chris Stapleton, or Josh Groban.

Not only did the band put on a performance full of chemistry but the performance room had an amazing view of the city behind the stage. The view of the city coupled with the soft purple lights of the room had an almost magical feeling to it.  If you haven’t visited the Country Music Hall of Fame Museum yet I would definitely recommend spending your next free day there. Here’s the link:
http://countrymusichalloffame.org/ContentPages/visit

Amira Vivrette, A fellow Vandy 2021 member from Casa de Sutherland shared her thoughts about the show with me:

“The concert was amazing! There was a lot of energy in the room from the crowd and the band. The band members were absolutely hilarious. They made lots of jokes that really allowed the crowd to connect with them. As for the venue, it had a beautiful view overlooking downtown Nashville. Overall, the event was phenomenal and well organized.”

I would definitely have to agree with her statement! Keep an eye out for Lady Antebellum’s next visit to Nashville as well as for the upcoming performances in the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Photos provided by Hilton Music Happens Here

 

Hello friends!

This weekend was a blur of festivities and activities, so I hope you have had time to catch your breath. I am so sad to see tailgate season end and will be patiently waiting for it to return. Here is peek into what I did these past few days that you may want to incorporate into your time as we head into Thanksgiving Break. As the holiday season progresses, make time to focus on the happy.

xx,

Sophie

EAT:

Nashville’s food scene is the stuff of legends. I am always on the hunt for new, fresh, and fun places to eat. This weekend I had a visitor from out of town. So, I made sure they visited a few classic and funky Nashville eateries.

FIVE DAUGHTERS BAKERY

A donut a day keeps the doctor away. The donuts and atmosphere of this quaint little 12 South bakery make it just that much sweeter. The decadent donut shop has flavors for all kinds of donut connoisseurs. It is also perfect for all the health conscious individuals out there too, as the shop offers both vegan and paleo flavors of donuts. The paleo chocolate chip donut was exactly what I needed after a crazy week.

  

BAJO SEXTO TACO LOUNGE

Extremely fun yet low pressure are the perfect words to describe this funky eatery. Not conforming to typical taco options, Bajo Sexto has tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and salads perfect for every type of eater. This lovely little place is suitable for winter having indoor seating and outdoor seating packed with heaters. The bold pink and blue designs are the ideal pop of liveliness. (PS: if youare an Instagram fiend, this is the ideal place to snap a pic and addsome fun to your feed.)

E.I.O. & THE HIVE

Everything is organic. Eio, pronounced E-I-O, manages to make unhealthy foods (read Pancakes) healthy or at least healthier. Not only will you enjoy all the fresh and filling dishes, but your soul will thank you too. The place is decorated fabulously following a design scheme somewhere between a beehive and an indoor garden. I have been here multiple times during our first semester and am always beyond satisfied with how my visitors (and well duh myself) love this kind place. Pro tip: order the blueberry muffins, you won’t regret it. Also if you have never tried kombucha, this is the place to do it. They even have it on tap and ready to go. The staff is tremendously friendly and willing to answer any question you may have.

WEAR:

I am ABSOLUTELY not made for cold weather. period. Late fall and winter chic are going to be my style for the next few weeks as the temperatures continue to plummet. Not sure how you feel, but I will be dreaming of a warm and sunny summer with every degree that the weather drops. The tailgates left me with the perpetual question of how to be stylish and WARM. These are some of my favorite pieces I wore this week! I more or less gravitate towards the greys and blacks this time of the year. A monochromatic scheme or neutral tends to look more chic and well put together even if you rolled out of bed five minutes before class. All of the are classic items that fit seamlessly into any wardrobe.

   

  

 

DO:

WORKOUT

If you’re going to indulge in all the food our lovely city has to offer, it is important to take care of your body too. This week I hit the reset button and took a few hot yoga classes. My personal fav, HOT YOGA PLUS, is right near campus. If you don’t want to go to an off campus studio, the rec also has a wide variety of workout classes to let you ‘get your sweat on’.

WATCH

This week I streamed the documentary Dior and I. Every wannabe vogue girl and boy alike should watch this if they want to see how a fashion show comes together seamlessly over time. I don’t usually have time for Netflix, but this is a documentary I would definitely make time for again. 10/10.

TREAT YOURSELF

Dry House Nashville. With the weather being so mixed, I chose to get a blowout this weekend to bring some life back into my locks. For those of you who are reading this thinking “what the heck is a blowout?”, it is a magical experience where a salon professional shampoos, conditions, blow-dries , and styles your hair. The Dry House Nashville is my favorite blowout location as they are notable for styling many celebs before major events like the CMAs. If gen chem has you stressed to the max or you just aced your last calc test, treat yourself like I did and schedule an appointment for a little self care.