I must admit, 7 weeks ago I had a life. I used to go see movies, I had friends, and even showered on a regular basis.  Now those things are gone and have been replaced with a senior collection.  Is it worth it?  I sure as heck hope so.

These past few weeks have been the hardest to date.  I wasn’t really sure how I was going to knock out a masterpiece in 5 weeks, but BOO YA, it happened.  This semester has already had a couple set backs.  We missed the second day of class due to a snow day.  Then half of the class missed an entire week of class when we went to Las Vegas for the Curve Expo.  Of course, then we had President’s Day on a Monday and there went yet ANOTHER class.  I have chosen to blame this absence of class time for the craziness that ensued the last two weeks.  First off, we come in on Saturday…. every Saturday.  That said, our Professor is just as dedicated as we are, as she also comes in on Saturday mornings to see our progress and make changes.  After all, if you were going to have to start over, wouldn’t you rather know Saturday than Monday?  We’ve also discovered this amazing new feature FIT has introduced called 24-hour lab availability.  With a simple signed letter on an FIT letterhead that lists all of the students names we are able to stay past the restricting 2am deadline, and work up until the next class arrives at 9am.  Longest amount of consecutive hours in C714? That award would have to go to Francielle.  I’m fairly certain that in the last week, she has only left that room for food and energy drinks.  Many of the students prefer to work from their apartments because they are commuters and have dress forms in their rooms.  This is always my favorite because on presentation day, you have about 8-9 garments on the forms that you’ve never seen before.  SURPRISE!

First ensemble was set to be due on Monday, March 14th.  Given the state of everyone’s garments,  the professor extended the date to Wednesday, March 16th.  Our critic, Flora Nikrooz visited on Wednesday to see the finished garments and had only nice things to say about everyone’s ensembles.  She really Oohed and Awed over a couple, but maintained a pretty good poker face throughout.  Thus, the candidates for Critic Award will remain a mystery to us all.

From here it only gets worse.  Most of the class still has to finish up their robes for Monday and EVERYONE still has HOURS of beading to do. Our second ensemble, made of 95% Cotton, is due 3 weeks and 3 days from today.  How am I feeling?  I feel very similarly to the time I flipped my father’s four wheeler into a ditch and saw him RUNNING at me with a look of rage on his face:  I’m shaking in my boots.

My cotton ensemble is actually more difficult than my first ensemble.  It consists of four pieces: A long-line bra, garter, panty, and petticoat robe.  I still have to go shopping for fabric, and if it is any sign of what is to come, I actually DREAMED about buying cotton tulle last night.  In the dream everyone in the city sold out of it and I was forced to buy it from Mood for $183/yd.  (They jacked up the priced because of high demand.)  Hopefully is was only a dream as I will be needing atleast 10 yards.

My roommate questions my existence since I am never home.  Needless to say, the doorman to my apartment must think I’m a hardcore party girl: I come home at 4:30 in the morning looking haggard and slightly stumbling, mumbling nonsense about ripped chiffon ruffles…