February 15th, 2008
As I sit here in Gottwald at 8:50 AM, I wonder to myself, “Where has everyone gone?”. I am all alone and no one is around. However, I shouldn’t even be here right now. I should be in Sculpture. Yet, I am not. I showed up along with all of the other students, but our teacher wasn’t there yet. After fifteen minutes of sitting in silence, a secretary walks in and says that our teacher is not feeling well and there won’t be class today. Flashback to yesterday, Thursday. I woke up early and made my way over to the Admissions Office to give a tour. Alas, no one was there either, so I couldn’t give a tour. So, I proceeded to the library to get some studying done before my only class on Thursdays. But, I got an e-mail from that teacher saying she is sick and that class was canceled. Now I know where everyone is. They’re all sick… or so it seems. The cold, rainy weather probably isn’t helping at all. Illnesses are spreading quickly in the dorms and I have been fortunate to not come down with what everyone else has right now. I just hope it stays that way.
However, since class was canceled yesterday, I just stayed in the library and did work… and more work… and more work until I realized I hadn’t eaten lunch… and it was now 6:00 PM. I had been in there for eight straight hours. I plowed through our next CORE book which didn’t need to be read until a week from Monday. It was called “Sputnik Sweetheart” and was rather strange. After finishing that, I started reading John Locke’s “Second Treatise of Government”, which doesn’t need to be finished until next Thursday. I think that the reason I spent so much time in there was because I was in and out of consciousness for part of the time and also was doing odds and ends that I had meant to get to for a while. I’m rather exhausted now and didn’t get as much sleep this week, which was ironically what this week’s Stress Management class (and common sense) told me not to do.
Yet, I am in a good place for school right now. I’m a little ahead in three of my classes and the other two are just fine. I just think I’m managing my time a lot better this semester. I already had a midterm (one of our three midterms in the class) in Macroeconomics. It went very well because he uses almost questions solely from our previous quizzes. However, the test is fair and pretty good. I am very pleased with how I did. I also had a test in Calculus 2. I had learned everything from this chapter already and thought I would ace it. However, it didn’t go as planned and now I’m anxiously awaiting the results.
The main event from last weekend was Real World. This event is hosted by student government and the Career Development Center. They bring back about 20 alumni who share their experiences with life after college. There was an open panel on Friday and then we ate brunch with them on Saturday morning. After that, we broke into small groups and I visited the Law & Government group as well as the Finance & Consulting group. I really enjoyed their thoughts and insights. However, it did get me a little worried about what I’ve heard of life after college. The whole process of a job search, finding a place to live, and maintaining social relationships is daunting in a new environment. It’s entirely different out there, but I have a feeling that I’m setting myself up quite well to adjust to it.
Speaking of jobs after college, the Resident Assistant staff put together several programs for the freshmen guys in Gray Court. One of them focused on the political happenings of today with the elections, but as well as the possibility of a recession and how that will affect us getting jobs after college and our lives as students. The other sessions involved religion and its place in the world. I attended both, but had to leave the religion one early.
I left early because I had a concert at Modlin to go to. It was Arlo Guthrie. I really didn’t know what to expect. I knew he was a folk singer and that I had heard the name Guthrie before, but didn’t know much else. He’s famous for “Alice’s Restaurant” and was big in the Woodstock era. I was so glad I went. It was a great performance. His songs were witty and well done. However, I would have gone just to hear him tell his stories. He was hilarious and it was almost like stand-up comedy. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I think my friend, Jimmy, whom I dragged along, also had a good time.
“City of New Orleans” by Arlo Guthrie
Speaking of music, our artist-in-residence (whatever that really means) “eighth blackbird quartet” won two Grammy awards.
Also this week, I had an interview to be an Orientation Adviser in the fall, so maybe you’ll meet me then if I’m accepted. I attended the men’s basketball game on Saturday. We did not perform well and lost, but the halftime entertainment was exciting. It was a Baby Race.
The Baby Race at halftime
Also, my men’s Bible study joined with the women’s small group and we had a discussion on accountability. It was fun to have to get together with them again since I hadn’t been able to make it in a while. It made it even better that the ladies brought Valentine’s cookies.
 
The women’s small group brought Valentine cookies for us. I decorated it myself!!!
Awkward picture of me eating a cookie. It was a good cookie.
This is just a random picture of the two small group leaders that the creepy-looking guy in the background, whom I somehow call a friend, wanted me to take. Just kidding, David.
InterVarsity brought in one of the leaders from my church to speak this week. She did a good job. After InterVarsity, some of us got together and had a movie night watching “Newsies” which is one of my personal favorites. I also attended Vagina Monologues this week to support my friends who were in it. As a guy, it was rather awkward and I believe that guys accounted for only 10% of attendance. Most of these guys were my friends, though, who also came as support.
One of my friends performing in Vagina Monologues
Yesterday was Valentine’s Day, or Singles Awareness Day for most people here. InterVarsity is holding a Valentine’s Dinner tomorrow night that I will attend. The last thing to mention is Lakeview, where I am applying to stay in the Campaigns 2008 program this fall. So far, there are 18 applications in for 20 spots, but a lot more are still coming. So, I need to hope that I get accepted as well as my other friends who have applied. Also with politics, I finally decided who I was going to vote for in Wisconsin’s primary this Tuesday. I sent the absentee ballot and it should arrive just in time.
Being a good citizen
That’s all for this week. Now, I must head to the Post Office and pick up a mysterious package. I was not expecting one and am rather curious about it. Last time I stopped in, no one was there. It continues the streak of “Where is everyone?”. However, I think they were just closed at the time. Now, they’re open. Gotta run.
(Later in the day) So, I just got the mysterious package and it was a surprise Valentine’s Day care package from home. It was awesome. It had food, sweet cards from my siblings, clothes, and (most importantly) love for this single college student.
My Awesome Valentine’s Day Care PackageÂ
Quote of the Week: Chuck Nevitt, North Carolina State basketball player, explaining to Coach Jim Valvano why he appeared nervous at practice: “My sister’s expecting a baby, and I don’t know if I’m going to be an uncle or an aunt.”
Thought to Ponder: Why is Grape Nuts cereal called that, when it contains neither grapes nor nuts?
Shout Outs: Happy Birthday John!!! Also, all of you prospectives who have now been accepted. Congratulations!!! My family for the awesome care package.
YouTube Clip of the Week:
Spiders on Drugs, in honor of our mascot
(It’s hilarious, just give it a while)
