Rachel Marsom (Georgia College & State University-- Class of 2011)

I'm Rachel. So glad to meet all of you! I like biscuits & gravy, kudzu, and horror movies. I have a black cat named Bogie who is probably spoiled more than most children. I drink eight glasses of water a day. I wear blue jeans compulsively. And most importantly, I write.

I’m a poet. I write narrative poetry. I love tattoos, piercings, shaving, branding, plastic surgery, etc. I like writing about body, illness, family, boys I used to know, celebrities, and food. I also like writing in long lists 

I graduated with my B.A. from UNC-Asheville, a small public liberal arts university in the mountains of North Carolina. Not sick of the mountains, I moved to a different set when I started work on my M.A. in English with a concentration in Creative Writing at Northern Arizona University. (This is also where I met the famous and fantastic Sacha Siskonen, another contributor to this blog! But that’s a whole ‘nother story…) Highlights of my time at NAU included falling in love with Las Vegas, working with poets Barbara Anderson & Nicole Walker, seeing more snow than I ever imagined existed, and teaching a couple batches of monster students (and some not-so-monstery ones too!)

When I applied to MFA programs, I was ready to move back to the South. I was pleasantly surprised by my ultimate decision to attend Georgia College & State University. This school, eerily reminiscent of UNCA, takes me back to my small school roots. This MFA program seems to be based so much on strong supportive community—and I’ve already connected with a dozen future classmates via internet! The workload is very similar to my M.A. work, and I’m going to be teaching two sections of freshman English this fall.

Unlike most of you who are freaking out in anticipation of your move, I moved here on my birthday in late May. I’ve gotten a chance to adjust, furnish, and decorate most of my house. My boyfriend of 4 years is still searching for a job. And Bogie…well, Bogie loves his window view of squirrels, cardinals, and other feathery/fuzzy critters.

I’m excited for school to start! Orientation begins on the 12th, so I’m sure you’ll see much more of me after that. I’m especially excited to be a part of this blog and to have the opportunity to see how we all thrive at such different schools.