Ben, ‘11

Now that my Freshman year is officially complete, I would like to take the chance to look back on everything that has happened during second semester. It gives you, the reader, a chance to catch up on what I’ve been doing and also give a concise version of everything that we have to offer here. For me, it simply gives me a chance to pause and take a collective look at what I’ve managed to accomplish in such a short period of time.

I’ll begin by taking a look at my classes since this should be the main focus of college. However, if you’ve been reading my blog, you may not have gotten that impression at times. I took Macroeconomics, Sculpture, Foundations of Leadership Studies, Calculus 2, and CORE. Even though the final grades aren’t in yet, I am confident that I did well. I really stepped up my work in CORE and I think I learned skills that will help me better manage my other classes in the future. Sculpture turned out to be a lot of fun for me. I’m not very artistic, but it was a nice break to have a class where you have complete control and make whatever you wanted. My workload was very manageable this semester. I buckled down in the library and made sure I was on top of my work. I still am somewhat unsure as to what my major and career will be (which is slowly starting to worry me) and no class has jumped out and enthralled me, but I’m continuing with the path of study that I think will be the best for me.

The library on Friday afternoons, when I got most of my work done

All of the books for my classes this semester

The musical instruments I created out of skulls and wood in Sculpture

Though I am not sure of my path of study, I am exploring several opportunities that may make my decision easier. I am interested in math, so I will be staying on-campus over the summer to do ten weeks of math research. I will be studying the tortuosity and geometric configuration of blood vessels in the brain and how that results in strokes. It pays much better than working at SUBWAY back home and I’m hoping the experience will be rewarding. I’ve heard that the campus during the summer is a pretty fun place to be.

I will also be participating in a program called Campaigns 2008 in the fall. I applied and was accepted to live in Lakeview within the program. The sixteen of us in my program will take a class on elections in America as well as travel to D.C, talk to officials close to the campaigns, create media ads for the campaigns, as well as several other projects. We’ve picked our own curriculum and I’m really excited. I’ll be living in a single most likely and be in a suite with two of my good friends.

I’ve been tracking the election closely and made sure to vote

I continued to be active in organizations during second semester. Some of my friends have said that I’m too involved. I wouldn’t necessarily disagree with them on that. I continued to serve as Class President for the men of the Class of 2011. My Cabinet and I planned events including a Super Bowl Party, March Madness Party, and Freshmen Cookout. They were all successes, especially the cookout which had over two hundred people attend.

The Cabinet’s Super Bowl Party

Some of my Cabinet members at our Freshmen Cookout

A new organization for me, this semester, was Collegiate Disaster Relief Team (CDRT). During Spring Break, thirty of us UR students went to New Orleans to help rebuild after Hurricane Katrina. We gutted a nursing home, painted a house, and even helped with a house for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition since they were in the area. It was a lot of work, but still a good time. However, since I went on the trip, it meant that I would not go home between Christmas Break and August. I have already applied to be on leadership for next year’s trip and we have already begun planning it.

The nursing home BEFORE

The nursing home: AFTER

It was though the nursing home was frozen in time

Me working for Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Having fun with friends in the French Quarter

InterVarsity has also continued to be one of my activities. I did not attend small group and large group as often as first semester, but I was still a regular attendee. With InterVarsity, I participated alongside a few other men in a challenge called 3000-12 that required us to do 3,000 push-ups and memorize 12 Bible verses over the course of two weeks. I actually completed them all. I also helped with the Valentine’s Dinner where the men of InterVarsity hosted a dinner for the women. I was part of the kitchen crew and put in a lot of hours helping out, but it was still a fun time. Additionally, I served as the Team Captain for InterVarsity’s Relay for Life team. The event was rained-out, but the University did manage to raise $25,000 for cancer research. Since I am fairly active in InterVarsity, I applied to be on Leadership for next year and was accepted. So, I will attend a training retreat this summer for that.

The kick-off to 3000-12

Helping out with the IV Valentine’s Dinner

InterVarsity’s Relay for Life Team

We tried to make the most of the rain before Relay for Life was canceled

My local church has a group for UR students who attend there. I’ve become more involved with them as the year has gone on. I went over to one of my church leaders’ home for Easter dinner with other UR students. I’ve also tried to attend some of their weekly lunches when it doesn’t conflict with classes. Additionally, I helped them with Rebuilding Together, which helps to fix up needy homes in the Richmond area. I also attended an Interfaith Seder Dinner through my church group. Looking ahead, I will be representing this group next year on the Council for Christian Unity.

Helping out with Rebuilding Together

A beautiful cake at Easter Dinner

The Interfaith Seder Dinner

Besides these organizations, I have worked a lot. In addition to this blog, I work in the Admissions Office. I’ve hosted students, helped with Admissions chats and panels, and, of course, given tours. I enjoy it and have spent a lot of time in the Admissions Office. According to my records, I have given 33 tours in the past two-and-a-half months.

One of my tours was for some ladies from the Class of 1970

I suppose that you are probably wondering what I do when I’m not doing homework or active with my organizations. Well, I spend some of it supporting other organizations. I regularly attended a cappella concerts, improv comedy performances, and sports games. We had some great events that were fun to attend, especially our basketball team’s win over #16 Dayton.

Our fans rushed the court after our victory over Dayton

The Octaves, one of our a cappella group, performs

Besides these performances, I continued to attend a lot of the cultural events at the Modlin Center. I went to a performance of “The Battle for the Pentagon Papers”, “The Baltimore Waltz” (student-run play), Bobby McFerrin, “The Meeting” (University production), Natalie MacMaster (Celtic fiddler), Neil Berg’s “100 Years of Broadway”, and folk singer Arlo Guthrie (my favorite of the semester). They were all very enjoyable and entertaining, not to mention cheap.

We did have three special events occur this semester that I believe are worth mentioning. One was the launching of the first Spider into space. Leland Melvin is a UR graduate and was aboard Atlantis. We threw a fun party with “space food” to watch the launch. Also, President Ayers had his inauguration. It was a weekend of picnics, events, and festivities. We love President Ayers and are glad to see him here. One of the highlights from his inauguration was when he served as DJ for his own after party. Finally, the University of Richmond hosted a squash championship that brought fourteen of the top sixteen squash players in the world to campus. I watched many of the games and thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m hoping that they bring the tournament back next year as well.

Space Food: Milky Ways, Moon Pies, Big Dippers, and Martian Punch
President Ayers’ Inauguration

An Inaugural Picnic

The Davenport Squash Tournament

Of course, I am a college student, so I hang out with my friends a lot and go to fun events. I have found a core group of guys who I hang out with a lot and are great friends. We made regular trips to Capital Ale House for Dollar Burger Night and also had meals at the Cellar (our on-campus restaurant) almost every week. Additionally, we had fun celebrating each other’s birthdays and getting together for game nights on the weekends or going to the Pier to watch “No Country For Old Men”, “Juno”, or whatever movie was playing that week. We also saw comedians perform on-campus, went to the James River, and attempted the new high ropes course on-campus together.

Dollar Burger Night at Capital Ale House

Eating out at The Cellar

My friends threw a surprise birthday party for me

Me playing Tarzan on the rope swing on the James River

Having fun with Student Government on the ropes course

Lastly, I should mention the food here. I am still enjoying a wide variety at our dining center and am still amazed at the desserts that they offer. I’ve stepped up my exercise routine and now regularly go to our fitness center. In fact, I’m almost enjoying it (mainly because I watch my favorite TV shows when I’m there). The dining center has also done lots of specialty nights, such as Oriental Night (with sushi and seaweed salad) and Caribbean Night (with conch fritters and Cuban custard). They also had lots of things for finals week such as Midnight Munchies, a nacho bar, and grab-and-go items such as trail mix and popcorn.

Caribbean Night at D-Hall

That’s been my semester. I know it’s been active but I’ve really enjoyed it. My friends and I have started doing lots more together and I’m curious and anxious to see what the summer and future hold for me. I’m hoping that I won’t be overloaded next year with Student Government, Lakeview, CDRT, InterVarsity, Council for Christian Unity, as well as work in the Admissions Office. Well, there’s only one way to find out and that is to keep reading my blog next year.

Final Shoutouts for Freshman Year: My good friends (Andrew, Jimmy, and Buddy), my family that keeps the care packages coming and answering all of my phone calls, and the Admissions Office for giving me this opportunity to blog about my crazy life.

My parents awesome care package for Valentine’s Day